Rocky Sharpe & the Replays, a British rock and doo wop band, were formed in 1979 by Robert Podsiadly, known as Rocky Sharpe. He began his musical journey with the group The Razors in Sussex pubs before forming Rocky Sharpe and the Razors, which included Rita Ray, Den Hegarty, Griff Fender, and Nigel Trubridge. In 1978, they released their first single, "Rama Lama Ding Dong", a cover of The Edsels' song, which became a hit in Spain. This success led to the formation of Rocky Sharpe & the Replays with Helen Blizard (Helen Highwater), Mike Vernon (Eric Rondo), and Jan Podsiadly (Johnny Stud). Signed by Chiswick Records, they released their debut album Rama Lama in 1979. Notable singles included "Love Will Make You Fail in School" and "Never", which topped the charts in Spain. The band's second major hit was "Shout! Shout!" in 1982. Helen Highwater left the group that year, replaced by Carole Forbes (Gloria Sunshine). Rocky Sharpe & the Replays disbanded in 1985. Rocky Sharpe passed away on 5 December 2019, after being diagnosed earlier in life with multiple sclerosis. Renowned producer Mike Vernon died on 2 March 2026 at the age of 81.
