Ten years ago precisely, on August 11th, 2012, Luv's original trio (Patty Brard, Marga Scheide and José Hoebee) gave a farewell performance during the Dutch Valley Festival in Spaarnwoude, North Holland. This emotional show was supposed to be the end of Luv'. The ladies didn't know at the time that the legendary girl group would later make two comebacks with different line-ups. What happened to Patty, Marga and José after their so-called break-up? Here's the story of this important chapter in Luv's career.
Background
In the Spring of 2006, the three original members of Luv' made a flamboyant comeback in the Netherlands, after Patty buried the hatchet with Marga and José.
Dutch channel RTL 5 broadcast "Back In Luv'", a reality TV show about the group's reunion between April 3rd and June 2nd, 2006. Flemish channel VTM aired the program from September 10th to October 29th, 2006.
In the meantime, Universal Music released the budget-priced compilation "Het Mooiste van Luv'" and "Completely in Luv'" (a box set of four albums recorded by Luv' during their heyday in the late 1970s and early 1980s as well as bonus tracks and remixes).
A DVD (also entitled "Back In Luv'") came out simultaneously and included the best TV performances from Luv's glory years. The ladies promoted their activities on television ("Albert", "RTL Boulevard", "Shownieuws", "Life & Cooking", "TROS Muziekfeest", "Tien Om Te Zien"...) and in the press (Tros Kompas, Televizier, Beau Monde, Veronica Magazine, Weekend, Party, Story...).
On April 29th, 2006, Luv' performed at the Museum Square in Amsterdam for Queen's day (Koninginnedag) with other super acts (Jamie Cullum, Tiësto, Anouk, Di-rect, Clouseau...).
Luv' backstage at the Koninginnedag's concert (2006)
A meet 'n greet afternoon organised by the group's fan club was held on May 20th, 2006 at Bar Arc in Amsterdam. It was a good opportunity for the public to meet their idols. Pop star Gerard Joling was present.
Luv' & Gerard Joling
On May 26th, 27th and 28th 2006, the three singers and Bobby Farrell (of Boney M.) made a guest appearance during the mega shows of De Toppers (a group formed by Gordon, René Froger and Gerard Joling) at the Amsterdam ArenA. The girls made a funny entrance in camp and extravagant costumes on glittery rollators. They sang a medley of their greatest hits (Casanova, Trojan Horse, U.O.Me and You're the Greatest Lover). The feedback about these concerts was so positive that Luv' decided to tour Holland and Belgium extensively until 2007. Then, the trio performed sporadically until 2011.
Luv' at De Toppers concert (2006)
In the autumn of 2011, Patty appeared on RTL 4's reality show "Diva's Draaien Door" with Patricia Paay and Tatjana Simic. The program was so successful that the divas planned to record an album together and go on tour.
On March 12th, 2012, Marga Scheide announced the definitive break-up of the trio on NOS/Radio 1 as Patty's activities with "De Diva's" overshadowed Luv'. On June 10th, 2012, José's husband, record producer Will Hoebee, passed away.
The Luv' ladies gave their final live performance on August 11th, 2012, at the Dutch Valley Festival in Spaarnwoude. This last show was moving because it brought Luv's story to a close. Moreover, it was a hard moment for José who was still mourning Will's death.
Luv's farewell performance generated publicity in the media.
The girl group appeared in the "Show & Cutuur" section of AD newspaper on August 11th, 2012.
The August 13th, 2012 edition of De Telegraaf, Holland's most-read newspaper, featured an article about José's sorrow. "I think that I'm going to have some professional help to get better. I want to carry on. I would like to go back to my Folk & Country roots," she said.
José appeared on RTL 4's entertainment news show "RTL Boulevard" on August 13th, 2012. Albert Verlinde interviewed the singer to discuss her difficulties. RTL Boulevard also aired a report about Luv's final show.
The Luv' ladies were also interviewed on SBS6's entertainment news program "Shownieuws".
Patty & José getting emotional (RTL Boulevard)
Marga on RTL Boulevard
José and the RTL Boulevard team
Privé magazine published sensationalist articles.
Luv' and Dutch stylist Mike de Boer appeared on the August 17th, 2012 episode of "Ik kom bij je eten", filmed during the Dutch Valley Festival.
Luv' on Ik Kom Bij Je Eten
Patty giving an emotional speech to support José
Maik de Boer congratulating Luv'
José, Maik and Patty at a BBQ Party, backstage at Dutch Valley Festival
What happened to José, Marga and Patty after the original Luv's break-up?
After Luv's disbandment, José went through tough times. It took her months to recover. In January 2013, she took part in the SBS6's celebrity figure skating show "Sterren Dansen Op Het Ijs". She was rapidly eliminated from the competition but the artist considered it a great learning experience.
Simon Crowhurst & José Hoebee on Sterren Dansen Op Het Ijs (2013)
In the summer of 2013, she relaunched her duo with Bonnie St. Claire. In the mid-1980s, the ladies had been popular in Holland with their Dutch cover versions of ABBA's songs. They appeared on SBS6's music program "Nederland Muziekland", broadcast on October 12th, 2013 to perform their signature song "Zoals Vrienden Doen" (The Way Old Friends Do). Several sporadic live shows of the duo followed. In the Spring of 2014, Bonnie & José ended their partnership.
Bonnie & José on Nederland Muziekland (2013)
José focused on her solo career. In June 2014, she released a digital single entitled "Noheyo", a cover version of a 2011 song by Polish band Blue Café. This single quickly became a #1 hit on the SBS6 download chart in the "Dutch-speaking" category. José had a hectic schedule again. She promoted her new track on TV and the radio. She gave several interviews in the press and was booked for gigs.
September 2014 saw the re-issue of "Who's sorry now?" (a song recorded 10 years earlier and made famous by Connie Francis in the late 1950s).
In March 2015, "STARS OF 80s DANCE POP - THE EUROPEAN EDITION" (a book written by American author James Arena) came out and featured interviews with 50 European Dance-pop artists from the 1980s (including José Hoebee). The singer discussed her glory years with Holland's greatest girl group in the late 1970s and her solo career in the 1980s. In March 2018, James Arena republished the book with a new title "EUROPE’S STARS OF 80s DANCE POP VOL. 2".
José posing with James Arena's book "Stars of 80s Dance Pop" (2015)
Marga retired from show business and enjoyed life in her second home on the sunny Ibiza island with her partner, Michiel Gunning. Articles were published sporadically in celebrity gossip magazines. She planned an art exchange program with artists from Ibiza. She wanted to set up an exhibition on the Balearic Island. She intended to present works of Spanish painters and sculptors in the Netherlands. In 2012, she became an ambassador for Podencoworld (a foundation which protects and promotes Podencos, agile dogs of the hound family).
After Luv's break-up, Patty rapidly bounced back. An event put her in the limelight again: her failed dive on SBS6's celebrity diving competition "Sterren Springen" caused a sensation in late August 2012. It was even used as a publicity stunt to promote "Celebrity Splash" (the international name of "Sterren Springen") and to sell the format to 25 TV networks around the world. In 2013, 2015 and 2019, La Brard signed exclusive deals with Talpa Network, SBS6's parent company. In addition to the infotainment program "Shownieuws", she was involved in many other TV shows on SBS6 (including "Bonje Met de Buren" (2014-2017), "Dancing On Ice" (2019), "Zo Goed Als Nieuw" (2019) and "De grote huisverbouwing" (2021).
May 25th, 2013, saw the unbelievable reunion of Luv's 1980-1981 lineup (José Hoebee, Marga Scheide and Ria Thielsch (Patty Brard's replacement) at a fan club meeting in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. This event caused a sensation among the fans who had resigned themselves to the end of Luv'.
José, Marga & Ria (2013)
In May 2015, Peter Boonstra's photo book entitled "The Story of Luv'" came out. The publication included exclusive pictures and a CD compilation (with their greatest hits as well as remixes of "Trojan Horse" and "Life Is On My Side" by highly acclaimed remixer-producer Matt Pop). Marga and José supported this initiative.
José, Ria and Marga at the release party of "The Story of Luv'" at the Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum (May 1st, 2015)
Patty wanted to ban the book. Shortly afterwards, Peter was obliged to stop the sale of the book due to copyright issues about some photographs. This cruel decision led to a great disappointment and provoked (once again) a feud between Patty and her ex-colleagues.
In late October 2015, the media speculated about a comeback of Luv'. A German talent agency announced on its website that Marga and José could be booked as Luv' for live shows. In interviews, the ladies remained vague about plans to reactivate the group.
Luv' comebacks (2016 and 2019)
On March 16th, 2016, a dream came true when Marga, José and Ria announced officially their comeback in De Telegraaf and its sister magazine Privé. This great news brought publicity in the media (radio interviews, articles in the tabloid press and news websites...).
Luv' in 2016
Luv' featuring Ria successfully toured the nostalgia circuit in the Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium) between June 2016 and December 2018.
Luv' at "Mega Piraten Festijn" at the GelreDome stadium in Arnhem, the Netherlands on December 10th, 2016
In July 2017, the ladies celebrated the group's 40th anniversary with fans in Best, the Netherlands.
Luv' at Quatre Bras restaurant in Best, the Netherlands for their 40th anniversary (2017)
On January 4th, 2019, Luv' announced an unexpected line-up change in De Telegraaf: media personality Chimène van Oosterhout replaced Ria Thielsch. This surprising news boosted Luv' in the media. In addition to the usual articles in the tabloid press (Privé, Weekend, Story and Party), Luv' appeared on Dutch national television again (RTL Boulevard, Shownieuws, Tijd voor Max, 6 Inside...).
Chimène, Marga & José (2019)
In May 2019, the Luv' ladies went to Miami, Fl, to record a new song with producers and sound engineers Keith Morrison and Manuel Garrido-Lecca. Henk Schorel, CEO of the multimedia company "Viva Canal", linked Luv' with a team of talented music professionals. In addition to the recording sessions, Luv' also gave interviews on American channels (CBS, Azteca 48 WWHB Palm Beach, Beach Channel, Space Coast TV...).
On June 30th, 2019, Luv' revealed their Latin pop-reggaeton single entitled "With Him Tonight" at a fan club meeting at the Quatre Bras restaurant in Best, the Netherlands. On July 4th, 2019, the track was available on digital platforms (Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, Amazon and YouTube). "With Him Tonight" entered the Dutch iTunes Top 100 at #54 on July 9th, 2019. Four days later, it disappeared from the chart.
In late August 2019, Luv' stopped their live performances due to José's ill health. On February 7th, 2020, the trio's management informed the media and the public about the interruption of Luv's activities.
Dutch authors Michel van Egmond and Antoinnette Scheulderman wrote a biography about Patty entitled "De Neven Levens van Patty Brard" which came out the day of her 65th birthday on March 25th, 2020. The diva criticized her former Luv' colleagues in this publication.
On November 20th, 2020, the independent label CD-Licious reissued Bonnie & José's "Herinnering" album on CD and DVD thanks to a crowdfunding campaign. The LP's first version came out in 1985 and featured Dutch cover versions of ABBA songs (including the Top 40 hits "Cassandra" and "Zoals Vrienden Doen" (The Way Old Friends Do). The 2020 edition of this CD included bonus tracks in addition to the original track listing. The DVD contained the "Bonnie en José in Zweden" TV special (initially broadcast in 1986) as well as bonus videos.
In February 2021, the Official LUV' fan page on Facebook (in association with Hans van Hemert productions and YesterMix's YouTube channel) presented the 2021 Uptempo Remix of Luv's classic hit "Ooh, Yes I Do" by DJ WR (Wouter Reinders) and DJ BarFeet (Maarten Bervoets). Shortly afterwards, the Spanish version of this remix entitled "Si Que Si 2021 (Versión Uptempo)" came out.
2021 saw the reissue of two albums and several singles on digital platforms: All You Need Is Luv' (April 2021), Sincerely Yours (June 2021) and the four singles/maxi-singles taken from it: Hasta Mañana, Jungle Jive, The Last Song and He's My Guy as well as This Old Heart Of Mine (October 2021).
Photo montage by Marco Rens
On February 11th, Cloud 9 Music put out Luv's Trojan Horse (Kav Verhouzer Remix) on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. The following day, the single entered the Dutch iTunes Top 100 at #10 and stayed one week on this chart.
From October 2020 to April 2022, Marga appeared as a guest artist for a limited number of performances of Flemish comedian Piv Huvluv as part of his Vinylvreter tour.
Marga & Piv Huvluv (2020)
The songstress announced that she retired from stage performing in the March 24th, 2022 edition of De Telegraaf. "I think now is the time to say goodbye to showbiz. I don't have any plans to do anything else, and there won't be a big farewell. After the show, I'll go to the dressing room, pack my suitcase, and drive home, as I have always done with my partner Michiel in recent years. I won't shed a tear either. I am very discreet. But don't think it doesn't affect me at all. I realize that it's the end of an important chapter of my life," Marga said.
Marga in De Telegraaf (March 24th, 2022)
The blonde singer gave a farewell performance in Roeselare, Belgium, as part of Piv Huluv's show on April 15th, 2022.
Marga's final performance
Marga expected her final curtain. "Luv's success never ended, but the line-up changes affected the group. It started with Patty Brard, then Ria Thielsch and finally Chimène van Oosterhout. When José (who, like me, had been part of Luv' since day one) became ill, it was better to stop. Shortly afterwards, the Covid-19 pandemic spread to the world. A final performance for Luv' was out of the question. The theater tour in Belgium was a bonus to me," Marga told Privé magazine in its April 21st, 2022 issue.
The classy lady wants now to focus on her social life. "I won't miss showbiz. I won't go back on stage. Luv' is definitively over. I'm not ready to do anything in entertainment. I want to bond more with my friends and family. Michiel and I have planned faraway trips. I travelled the world during Luv's glory years, but I didn't see much. We only saw airports, hotels and TV studios. Michiel and I want to travel more often to Ibiza and we want to stay there longer. I'll have more time to take care of stray cats there. Michiel helps me. We've been happy together for sixteen years," Marga added.
Source: Luv' weblog and Luvgirlgroup.com archives
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