[4][5] Outside of Cockney Rebel and Immaculate Fools, Wickens has been involved in recording sessions for a number of artists, including John Martyn, Lick the Tins, Howard Jones, The River Detectives, Thrashing Doves, Martin Grech, along with TV and radio recordings of the Americana musicians The Milroys, and Folk Alliance Award nominee Diana Jones.

Following his education Wickens began playing around small venues in London, and worked with a number of acts including Steve Knightly's band, Short Stories, and the English acoustic roots and folk duo Show of Hands.

The Brighton and Northampton concerts of the 1989 tour were also professionally filmed, and the footage edited to create a VHS titled "Steve Harley + Cockney Rebel: Live".

He recorded, co-produced, co-wrote and toured with the group, and during his time with the band released the albums Another Man's World (1990), The Toy Shop (1992), Woodhouse (1995) and Kiss and Punch (1996).

[14] In 1997 Wickens formed the music production company Hydraphonic - a partnership project with Immaculate Fools' guitarist, Brian Betts.

Using their writing, recording and production skills, the company has served various advertising agencies and publishers such as Sony/ATV, Universal Music and Sonoton.

[26] Jo Davison of the Sheffield Star reviewed a November 2010 acoustic show from Cockney Rebel at the Memorial Hall, noting that "masterly violinist Barry Wickens, and James Lascelles on keyboards created something spine-shiveringly beautiful.

"[27] Alan Cooper, writing for the Portsmouth Evening News spoke of a Cockney Rebel concert at the King's Theatre during February 2011, noting "solos particularly from Wickens, were blissful.

"[28] Martin Hutchinson, in a review of the band live at the HMV Ritz in Manchester during December 2011 for the Bolton News, noted "Wickens' violin solo in "The Lighthouse" was amongst the highlights of the show.

"[29] In the York Press, Dan Bean reviewed a Cockney Rebel concert at the Harrogate Royal Hall in November 2013, and commented: "The band is uniformly excellent, but special praise goes to violinist and occasional guitarist Barry Wickens, whose extended solos received and deserved standing ovations.