DURING the Seventies, retro rock and rollers Showaddywaddy had more UK hits than any other band - including

Abba.

More than 40 years later they are still going strong with original members Romeo Challenger and Rod Deas

remaining in the line-up.

After coming second on TV talent show New Faces in 1973, the band's debut single ‘Hey Rock And Roll’ flew up

to number two in the charts.

Over the next eight years they graced the charts another 22 times, with 10 top five singles and the 1976 number one Under the Moon of Love, which sold 985,000 copies.

In total they racked up more than 200 weeks in the charts - making them one of the most successful singles groups of all time.

The first singles were written by the band, but cover versions of 'Three Steps To Heaven' and 'Heartbeat' broke into the top ten.

Showaddywaddy went back to their own material but failed to do as well, so they reverted to their tried and tested formula of putting their spin on Fifties and Sixties classics.

Their colourful Teddy Boy style of dress made the band instantly recognisable and they became a constant fixture on Top of the Pops.

They released 15 massive-selling albums which included a Greatest Hits Christmas number 1 in 1978.

The band's last TOTP performance was in 1982 with their last chart single Who Put the Bomp, which only reached number 37.

But the lads kept going even after the hits dried up and personnel changes and 2003 saw the band's 30th anniversary with a successful 40-date UK-wide tour along with The Rubettes and Sweet.

Lead singer Dave Bartram retired from the band in 2011 but continues to manage the band.

Showaddywaddy are at Clacton's Princes Theatre this Friday at 7.30pm.

Tickets are £19 from the box office on 01255 686633.