Rocky Sharpe and the Replays

Rocky Sharpe and the Replays is an English doo-wop/rock and roll revival group who first found fame in the late 1970s. The usual line-up of the group was Rocky Sharpe (born Robert Podsiadly, 26 November 1952 – 5 December 2019), Helen Highwater (real name: Helen Blizard), Johnny Stud (Sharpe's brother Jan Podsiadly) and Eric Rondo (Mike Vernon). An earlier incarnation of the group, Rocky Sharpe and the Razors, included Den Hegarty, Rita Ray, Griff Fender and Nigel Trubridge who later formed Darts.

Rocky Sharpe and the Replays
OriginBrighton, England
GenresDoo-wop, Rock and roll revival
Years active1977 (1977)–1983 (1983)
LabelsChiswick, Polydor, RAK
Associated actsDarts, Rocky Sharpe and the Razors
MembersRocky Sharpe
Helen Highwater
Johnny Stud
Eric Rondo (Mike Vernon)

History

In 1978, the group enjoyed its first commercial success with "Rama Lama Ding Dong"[1], a cover version of the Edsels' original hit, which reached number 17 in the UK Singles Chart.[2] More chart success quickly followed with another single, "Imagination", which reached number 39 in 1979.[2] After this, success was more difficult to find, and Sharpe found greater success in touring than in the charts.

In 1982, Sharpe had another major hit. "Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out)", a cover version of Ernie Maresca's 1962 hit, reached the Top 20 in the UK Singles Chart.[2] Although he never had another hit as big again, Sharpe retained a fan following, especially in western Europe and his music remained widely available. The group's last chart single was "If You Wanna Be Happy", which reached UK chart position 46 in 1983.[2]

After a few line-up changes during 1982-1984, the band finally broke up in early 1985. Sharpe launched a new career as an actor - but he was forced to retire in the early 1990s after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He lived with his wife Paulina in the family home in Brighton until late 2013, when he became a full-time resident at the Queen Alexandra Hospital Home (QAHH) in Worthing.

Rocky Sharpe and the Replays had always been particularly popular in Spain and in 2013, a Spanish vocal group called the Velvet Candles, whose music had long been inspired by the group, staged a benefit/tribute concert for him in Barcelona after hearing about Sharpe's medical condition. As an added attraction, Sharpe's brother Jan Podsiadly flew out to Spain and, readopting his former Replays persona as Johnny Stud, joined them as a special guest on stage. The band performed a number of songs that Sharpe and the Replays had recorded in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The concert raised almost £2,000, which Sharpe donated to the Queen Alexandra Hospital funds. News of the concert also reached people that used to run Chiswick Records (the record company with whom Sharpe and the Replays had their early hits with) and they donated an additional £5,000 to the QAHH funds.[3]

Sharpe died in December 2019 at the age of 67 after suffering from multiple sclerosis.[4]

Discography

Albums
  • Rama Lama (Chiswick, 1979)
  • Rock-It to Mars (Chiswick, 1980)
  • Let's Go (Chiswick, 1981) (reissued as Shout! Shout!)
  • Stop! Please Stop! (Polydor, 1983)

Singles
  • Rama Lama Ding Dong / When The Chips Are Down (1978)
  • Rama Lama Ding Dong / I Really Love You (1979)
  • Never / Never (1979)
  • Never / A Girl Like You (1979)
  • Never / Got It Made (1979)
  • Never / Oop Doop Doop (1979)
  • Love Will Make You Fail In School / Oop Doop Doop (1979)
  • Love Will Make You Fail In School / A Girl Like You (1979)
  • I Knew From The Start / Love Will Make You Fail In School (1979)
  • Imagination / Got It Made (1979)
  • Martian Hop / A Fool In Love With You (1980)
  • A Teenager In Love / You've Gone Away (1980)
  • You're The One / Choo-Choo Valentine (1980)
  • Heartaches / Choo-Choo Valentine (1980)
  • Heart / Mary Won't You Marry Me (1981)
  • Come On Let's Go / Please Don't Say Goodbye (1981)
  • Come On Let's Go / Heart (1981)
  • Get A Job / She Don't Want Me Now (1981)
  • Never Be Anyone Else But You / Paradise Lost (1981)
  • Rama Lama Ding Dong / Oop Doop Doop (1982)
  • Heart / Choo-Choo Valentine (1982)
  • Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out) / Hey! Hey! Good Lookin' (1982)
  • Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out) / Come On Let's Go (1982)
  • Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out) / Too Much Monkey Business (1982)
  • Clap Your Hands / Twenty-Four Hours (1982)
  • If You Wanna Be Happy / If You Know How To Rock And Roll (You'll Never Be Alone) (1983)
  • Stop! Please Stop! / A Little Dab'll Do Ya (1983)
  • La Bamba / Take My Hand (1984)
  • The Rocky Sharpe Megamix / White Christmas (1990)
  • Rama Lama Ding Dong (Ultimate Remix) / Imagination (1990)
  • Rocky Sharpe Collection MEDLEY / Rocky Sharpe Collection MEDLEY (1991)
  • Rocky Sharpe & The Replays Rama Lama Ding Dong // Bonnie Tyler - My Guns Are Loaded (1979)

- PICTURE DISCS -

  • -Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out) / Hey! Hey! Good Lookin' (1982)
  • -If You Wanna Be Happy / If You Know How To Rock And Roll (You'll Never Be Alone) (1983)

- EPs -

  • Rama Lama Ding Dong / A Lover's Question / Imagination / Got It Made (1979)
  • White Christmas / Christmas Tears Will Fall / Have A Good New Year / Happy New Year (1980)
  • Rocky Sharpe & The Replays – Rama Lama Ding Dong / Tick Tock // Casablanca // Oliver Onions
  • Sh-Boom / Come Go With Me / The Book Of Love / Goodnight Sweetheart (2014)

- 10’’s -

  • Devil Or Angel / Tonight (Could Be The Night) / Fools Fall In Love / Since I Don't Have You (1979)

- MAXI-SINGLES – -Rama Lama Ding Dong / I Really Love You (1979) -Rama Lama Ding Dong / Imagination / Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out) / Heart (1990)

  • Rama Lama Ding Dong (Ultimate Remix) / Rama Lama Ding Dong / Imagination / Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out) (1990)

- CD-SINGLES -

  • The Rocky Sharpe Megamix (Radio) / The Rocky Sharpe Megamix / White Christmas (1995)

+

  • Rocky Sharpe & The Razors EP
  • Rocky Sharpe & The Razors SINGLE

Compilations
  • COME ON LET’S GO (1981)
  • GRANDES ÉXITOS VOL. 1 (1982)
  • COLLECTION (1990)
  • THE FABULOUS ROCKY SHARPE & THE REPLAYS (1991)
  • ROCKY SHARPE & THE REPLAYS (1994)
  • ROCKY SHARPE & THE REPLAYS (1995)
  • THE GREATEST HITS (1995)
  • LOOKING FOR AN ECHO (1999 & 2009)
  • IF YOU WANNA BE HAPPY (2013)
  • SO HARD TO LAUGH (1993) (Rocky Sharpe & The Razors)

Rocky Sharpe and the Razors
  • EP (4 tracks) – "Drip Drop" / "What's Your Name" / "So Hard To Laugh (So Easy To Cry)" / "That's My Desire" (Chiswick, 1976)
  • Single (2 tracks) "Drip Drop" / "What's Your Name" (Chiswick, 1976)
  • So Hard to Laugh (14 tracks) (Chiswick, 1993 release of a previously unreleased album recorded c. 1976 - includes the four tracks released on the EP above.)


UK chart hits
DateSongPeakWeeks on Chart
16.12.1978"Rama Lama Ding Dong"1710
24.03.1979"Imagination"396
25.08.1979"Love Will Make You Fail in School"604
09.02.1980"Martian Hop"554
17.04.1982"Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out)"199
07.08.1982"Clap Your Hands"543
12.02.1983"If You Wanna Be Happy"467

[5]

References
  1. "Ace Records". Acerecords.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19 ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 494. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. "QAHH receives a rama-lama-ding-dong donation!". Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  4. Rocky Sharpe (Robert Podsiadly) Acerecords.co.uk
  5. "UK Charts : Rocky Sharpe and the Replays". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
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