THE legendary bluesman Howlin' Wolf was one of very few who made his way north, up the Blues Highway from the Delta to Chicago, with more than a couple of dollars in his pocket.

Muddy Waters rode the same route - as did B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Elmore James and countless others - but they travelled in search of their break.

Having already made a name for himself in the South, Howlin' Wolf outgrew Memphis and hit Route 61 to expand his empire. Needless to say, it went well.

There are parallels then, between the stories of Howlin' Wolf the bluesman, and Howlin' Wolf, the new Bath Street bar.

The pub takes the place of the old Monkey Bar, which was the type of boozer your mum or dad might go to on their yearly work night out.

It was a bizarre joint; no-one ever really went to it before they hit 35.

If somebody young did somehow ended up there, it was probably on their way up to Campus or something.

The new place is run by the same lot who operate Maggie May's and Slouch, so it comes with some decent musical pedigree.

Everything to do with Howlin' Wolf (the bar) is themed around Americana music: the cocktails are named for old bluesmen and there are portraits of 50s icons looking down on the red leather booths that surround the main bar.

Much like Howlin' Wolf (the man), Howlin' Wolf (the bar) already has a (modest) empire to build on, and can look forward to years of success if it keeps on churning out the same vibes.

It might not do anything original, but it's soulful and it's real - much like its namesake.