Rick joined Down At Heel in early 1978 after auditioning at the band's Starr Gate rehearsal room. He had a hard act to follow in Chris Downton, and the band wondered if they would ever find a suitable replacement. Rick was the third drummer to audition and exactly what the group was looking for.

He was a powerful, busy player, ideally suited to rock music but with a breadth of experience that came from his wider playing to bring some deft rythmic touches to the music. Rick had his own car - quite something in those days for a young man - and played in cabaret to pay it off. Down At Heel switched to rehearsing weekends, and Ricky's easy-going manner brought the band an good blend and balance of personalities.

Ricky was always just content to play and loved his music with Down At Heel, enjoying the freedom to explore ideas on top of the pounding back beat. He was not one for the politics of living and working in a group that can be stifling and argumentative. His private life was kept separate, and all his emotional energy poured into the music, where he felt it should be!