Since the sad and untimely demise of the incomparable James Brown last Christmas, it would seem to me that there is a vacancy for JB's crown as the HWMISB, and that Bryan Ferry appears to be making a bold bid for the job.

In addition to continuing his already legendary social life, and the prospect of a gruelling five-week tour forthcoming, he has embarked on the vast round of interviews, performances and media appearances the release of a new album like Dylanesque necessitates. As well as a productive trip to Germany and a number of appearances on French TV last week, here are just some of his recent sightings:

Andy Wong's Chinese New Year Party (at Madame Tussauds 28th January)
Mont Blanc Night of the Stars (Chamonix 2nd Feb)
Conservative Ball (London 7th Feb)

I'm sure this is just the tip of the iceberg. As recently as Tuesday, Bryan was spending the day being interviewed all over London for future broadcast on the Audi Digital Channel, a satellite station founded by the German car giant. Expect to see that interview, by former Old Grey Whistle Test-er David Hepworth (who you might recall introducing BF at Live Aid in 1985) soon. Given that Hepworth is also the head honcho at quality music magazine 'The Word' you can expect them to have the inside track too.

With a high-profile BBC session on Saturday night, and a flurry of media appearances to come, Ferry is certainly putting himself out there. However Dylanesque is received, it would certainly appear that it has revitalised the Great Man. With the travails of fashioning a new Roxy Music having forced him to turn that particular canvas to the wall, the impetus of a new project of 'readymades' seems to have given Ferry back his mojo, much as both Taxi and As Time Goes By came to his rescue when his lyrical muse left him in the 90s. Both acted as a springboard to him to finish his solo work, and we can only hope that Dylanesque refreshes his creativity sufficiently that he can tackle the not insubstantial challenge of the Roxy Music work with renewed vigour.