Photo courtesy of © Official Luv' Fan Page (Facebook)
Photo by Govert de Roos (1989) - edited by Marco de Rens
In November 1989, Luv' released their mini-album "For You" through High Fashion Dance Music/Dureco. This record featured the line-up consisting of Marga Scheide (the only original member), Diana van Berlo, and Michelle Gold. It included four dance-pop songs that were released as singles: the chart hit "Welcome to My Party", as well as "I Don't Wanna Be Lonely," "Girl Like Me," and "Medley" (also known as the LUV Hit-Medley). Let's celebrate the 35th anniversary of "For You", highly inspired by the "Stock, Aitken & Waterman" sound.
History
In the fall of 1989, Luv' made a comeback more than eight years after their first breakup. Original members José Hoebee and Patty Brard were replaced by Diana van Berlo and British singer Michelle Gold. Marga Scheide, who trademarked the group's name, and her partner, record producer Jacques Zwart (also known as E. Mergency), supervised Luv's return.
The release of Luv's single "Welcome To My Party" in early October 1989 served as a preview of their mini-album "For You". The song was written by John van Katwijk, who had previously worked with Patricia Paay, Marcel Schimscheimer, who collaborated with René Froger, and Ronald Sommer. It was produced by Nigel Wright, a former member of the legendary jazz-funk band Shakatak and a music industry veteran known for producing hit records for acts like Mirage, Enigma, and Imagination. Luv' aimed to replicate their earlier success on the Continental European charts from the late 1970s, but they fell short. "Welcome To My Party", which had a sound reminiscent of a Stock, Aitken & Waterman production, reached #22 on the Dutch Top 40 and #28 on the Flemish BRT Top 30.
The logical next step was to release a six-track mini-album titled "For You". Nigel Wright produced the CD, with most of the work done at his Skratch Studios in London and the vocals recorded at Dureco Studio in Weesp, the Netherlands.
"For You" featured three cover versions:
**No Cure No Pay** - This track was from Jacques Zwart's back catalogue and was initially performed by Dutch singer Florence in 1988. It was written and produced by E. Mergency and mixed by Nigel Wright. The original Luv' trio recorded a version of it, and after José and Patty left the group, the "new" Luv' re-recorded the song.
**Naughty Boy** - This song was initially performed by the Italo-house girl group Macho Gang in 1988.
**I Don't Wanna Be Lonely** - Initially performed by R&B and gospel singer Joan Orleans in 1989, this track was written by Nigel Stock and produced by Nigel Wright.
Four songs from "For You" came out as singles:
1. "Welcome to My Party" was released in early October 1989 in Benelux.
Welcome To My Party - Dutch front cover - October 1989
2. "I Don't Wanna Be Lonely" was released in December 1989 by Dureco in Benelux and in 1990 by the Spanish label Clash.
"I Don't Wanna Be Lonely" - Dutch front cover (December 1989)
"I Don't Wanna Be Lonely" - Spanish front cover (1990)
"I Don't Wanna Be Lonely" - Spanish back cover (1990)
3. The "Hit Medley", which was composed of parts from Luv's greatest hits—"You're the Greatest Lover", "Trojan Horse", "Ooh, Yes I Do", "Casanova," and "U.O.Me"—was re-recorded by Marga, Diana, and Michelle. This medley appeared on the B-side of some "Welcome to My Party" pressings and was licensed to RCA/BMG in Germany in January 1990.
Luv Hit-Medley - German front cover - January 1990
Information (Product Facts) about "The LUV Hit-Medley" communicated by RCA/BMG - January 1990. Luv's German label pointed out that the girl group scored 8 hit singles (including 3 Top 10 hits (Greatest Lover, Trojan Horse and Casanova) and two hit albums on the charts in Goethe's homeland between 1978 and 1980.
"Girl Like Me" was released only in Japan on August 25th, 1990. This track was licensed to Toco/Beaver Records/Alfa International and was promoted as a Eurobeat song, a popular genre at the time in the Asian archipelago. It was also included in various Japanese compilations. However, the strategy to adapt to the Japanese market ultimately failed, and today, this single is considered a rare collector's item among Luv's fans.
Girl Like Me - Japan - 1990
The release of "For You" was announced in the November 11th, 1989 issue of the Pan-European trade magazine "Music & Media":
Music & Media - November 11th, 1989
Click here to read the article online
Another article detailing "For You" was published on December 2nd, 1989, in "Music & Media":
Music & Media - December 2nd, 1989
Click here to read the article online
Press clipping from October 1989 announcing the release of Luv's mini-CD - edited by Marco Rens
The December 21st, 1989 edition of De Telegraaf, Holland's most-read newspaper, featured an advertisement for "For You", including "I Don't Wanna Be Lonely", released as the mini-album's second single.
"For You" promoted in De Telegraaf - December 21st, 1989
Click here to see it online.
The Old Luv' in competition with the New Luv'
While the Luv' ladies were busy promoting new material released by Dureco/High Fashion Music, Phonogram Records, which managed the group's back catalogue from 1977 to 1979, decided to release "Luv' Hitpack" via its sister label "Mercury Records". This megamix was created by the renowned Dutch DJ, remixer, and producer Peter "Hithouse" Slaghuis, known for his two European house music hits, "Jack To The Sound Of The Underground" (1988) and "Move Your Feet To The Rhythm Of The Beat" (1989). Mercury Records' decision to release this medley was inspired by Boney M., whose megamixes and remixes had successfully charted in Europe. "Luv' Hitpack" was a medley of remixed Luv' songs (recorded by the original trio): "Casanova", "Life Is On My Side", "U.O.Me", "You're The Greatest Lover", "Trojan Horse", and "Everybody's Shakin' Hands On Broadway".
The November 18th, 1989, printed edition of the Dutch Top 40 (featuring Luv's Welcome To Party at #33) included an advertisement for "Luv' Hitpack".
Dutch Top 40 (printed edition) - November 18th, 1989 - incl. "Welcome To My Party" at #33 and the ad for "Luv' Hitpack"
Luv' Hitpack - 7-inch 45 rpm single - 1989 - Mercury
Luv' Hitpack - CD single - 1989 - Mercury Records
Test pressing report by PolyGram Hannover for the release of the German 12" single of Luv' Hitpack:
Test pressing report of the A side (Luv' Hitpack)
Test pressing report of the B side (Luv' Stuff)
Luv' Hitpack
"Luv' Hitpack" did not amuse Marga, her Luv' colleagues and Dureco. The ladies feared it might ruin their efforts to promote Luv's new material. In other words, the new Luv' competed with the old Luv'. This lousy situation reminded the fans of what happened ten years earlier when Philips/Phonogram put out "Who Do You Wanna Be" while CNR/Carrere issued "Ooh, Yes I Do".
Luv' were informed about Phonogram's betrayal after they returned from filming the AVRO's TV special "Muziek in Natura" in Sri Lanka.
Luv' back from Sri Lanka - Algemeen Dagblad - October 30th, 1989
Click here to read the article online
"It was a bitter pill for us to swallow. At first, we were disappointed, but later that turned into anger. Isn't it unbelievable that our former record company would do something like that? We had a medley ready as a follow-up to "Welcome to My Party". The only thing we could do was quickly have that medley pressed on the B-side of "Welcome to My Party". So now we have a single with two A-sides. But it's still a shame; this shows how the Dutch entertainment world works. It's a terrible disappointment when something like that happens to you," Marga told Story magazine.
Story - late 1989
Dries v.d Schuyt, head of the promotion at Phonogram, later reacted in Story and said: "I can imagine that it is not very convenient for Dureco that we have released the original Luv' hits as a medley. But we've been very kind. We could have released this record the same week the new Luv's first single came out".
Story: Fight over Luv' - Story - late 1989
Luv's TV appearances during the "For You" era (1989 - 1990)
* September 29th, 1989: Welcome To My Party on Grote Club Show (TROS), Netherlands
* October 20th, 1989: Welcome To My Party on Linda (TROS), Netherlands
* October 20th, 1989: Welcome To My Party and interview with Luv' (Patty Brard present as well) on Berg (RTL-Véronique), Netherlands
* October 21st, 1989: Welcome To My Party (music video) on Top 40 (Veronica), Netherlands
* Unknown broadcast date in late 1989: Welcome To My Party on Pak De Poen (BRT 1), Belgium
* November 1st, 1989: Welcome To My Party on B.O.O.S (Veronica), Netherlands
* November 2nd, 1989: Welcome To My Party, Medley and interview with Marga Scheide on Hits Uit Holland (RTL-Véronique), Netherlands
* November 11th, 1989: Welcome To My Party on St Maarten: The Friendly Island (Veronica), Netherlands
* November 27th, 1989: Medley on Service Salon (AVRO), Netherlands
* December 18th, 1989: I Don't Wanna Be Lonely, A Girl Like Me and Welcome To My Party on Muziek in Natura (AVRO), Netherlands
* Unknown broadcast date (late 1989/early 1990): Medley on Dall-As (RTL), Germany
* Unknown broadcast date (late 1989): Medley on 10 om te zien (VTM), Belgium
* January 1st, 1990: Samen (Wereldspelen Gehandicapten 1990), Netherlands
* January 6th, 1990: I Don't Wanna Be Lonely on Passage (NCRV), Netherlands
* January 9th, 1990: I Don't Wanna Be Lonely on Paperclip (NCRV), Netherlands
* January 16th, 1990: Interview with Luv' on Véronique Ontbijtshow (RTL-Véronique), Netherlands
* January 18th, 1990: I Don't Wanna Be Lonely on Hits Uit Holland (RTL-Véronique), Netherlands
* January 22nd, 1990: Medley, Girl Like Me and I don't wanna Be Lonely on Wintertriathlon Inzell (AVRO), Netherlands
* February 1st, 1990: I Don't Wanna Be Lonely on Hits Uit Holland (RTL-Véronique), Netherlands
* February 3rd, 1990: I Don't Wanna Be Lonely on Nederland Muziekland (Veronica), Netherlands
* July 11th, 1990: Rerun of Welcome To My Party on St Maarten: The Friendly Island (Veronica), Netherlands
"For You": Album Credits
Original edition released in November 1989 by Dureco/High Fashion Dance Music on CD and cassette.
This mini-album is available on major digital platforms (including Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, YouTube and Spotify). The release date mentioned on these streaming and download portals (May 29th, 1990) is wrong.
For You - front cover
Photography
Govert de Roos (who photographed the who's who of Dutch and international pop-rock artists) took beautiful pictures for the album cover.
Tracklisting
1. "Welcome to My Party" - 3:00
written by R.Sommer, M. Schimscheimer, J. van Katwijk
2. "Girl Like Me" - 4:12
written by Nigel Stock
3. "I Don't Wanna Be Lonely" - 4:07
written by Nigel Stock
4. "Naughty Boy" - 3:58
written by M. Farina and G. Crivillente
5. "No Cure No Pay" - 3:39
written by E. Mergency
6. "Medley" (12" Version) - 7:14
written by Janschen & Janschens
To know details about the several editions of the mini-album, click here
Personel
Marga Scheide, Diana van Berlo and Michelle Gold - vocals recorded at Dureco Studio in Weesp, the Netherlands
Nigel Wright, Nigel Stock, John Smits, E. Mergency - synthesizers, keyboards, sequencing, programming at Skratch Studios in London
Welcome To My Party, Naughty Boy and No Cure No Pay - co-produced by Nigel Wright and John Smits
Girl Like Me and I Don't Wanna Be Lonely - co-produced by Nigel Wright - arranged by Nigel Stock - engineered by Robin Sellars in London
Medley - co-produced by Margret - arranged by E. Mergency
Design: Bart Falkmann
Photography: Govert de Roos
Back cover of For You
High Fashion/Dureco released a limited edition of "For You" as a box set including a CD and a cassette:
Source: Luv' blog archives, Discogs.com, YouTube, Music & Media archives (https://americanradiohistory.com), Marco Rens, Martin Vink, Arnold Kroone...
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