RIP Eric and may the good Lord take unto his flock, a man, loved by many, who single handedly changed the Merseyside Hard Rock Scene and inspired and impressed many. RESPECT BROTHER. Cassidy.
33 years at the healm, An Icon of the pirate radio world. Eric was a truely dedicated broadcaster and a man who lived to be on the air. What he achieved can never be undone or forgotten. He shook us all night long. His memory shall never fade. Bless you soul Eric Haydock - Rick Dane. Spirit of the Radio Phil
"I first met Rick Dane when I went to one of his rock nights at a nightclub in Tuebrook around 1980. He had all the rockers dancing:-) I had heard him on Radio Jackie North complaining that he had no help, so I gave him my phone number and offered to help. A while later, he called me, said to meet him at his new gig in Matthew Street, the old Eric's club over the road from the cavern. It was renamed as RJN's Cavern at the time. He put me on the decks for a while and disappeared with a sexy young lady. The very next weekend I was on the air as Steve West on RJN! At that time it was in some tower blocks on the outskirts of Liverpool, and those blocks were in a state of extreme decay... most flats were empty and boarded up. But Rick had it all sorted, he had keys to the lift shaft and the roof. I'll never forget the time we were putting up a thin wire aerial between the roofs of the two blocks (you FM dudes won't remember the old thin wires for Medium Wave), and he pulled in too much slack. I had to hang over the edge of a 23 floor building to save it from snapping! But it had taken a half hour to get that damn wire up there, and we were due on the air! I've been scared of heights ever since... Rick always used to talk about the early days when he was doing pirate radio in the fields using car batteries and aerials in trees. In those days the GPO (as it was then) used to come out every weekend after him. And the even earlier days when he listened to Radio Caroline and got his inspiration for free radio. The airwaves will be a much sadder place without him. R.I.P. my old mate, and thank you for the music. Radio Jackie North is now closing down. but its playing loud and strong in heaven." Steve (West) Leyland
If anyone should like to add to this page please send your entry to the mail address at the bottom of the page. We will gladly include any sent in to us. There is another log that will accept memorials to Eric, this can be found here Rick Dane Audio Tribute |
