Flashback: 20 Years Ago, Luv' Reunited to Surprise Hans van Hemert

In loving memory of Hans van Hemert (1945 - 2024)

Photo courtesy of © Official Luv' Fan Page (Facebook)

Luv' & Hans van Hemert

Photo edited by Marco Rens

Exactly twenty years ago, on April 7th, 2005, the original Luv' singers—Patty Brard, Marga Scheide, and José Hoebee—made headlines by reuniting for a surprise performance. This memorable event took place at the 60th birthday celebration and the 40th business anniversary of their former Pygmalion, Hans van Hemert. The trio's unexpected reunion captured the media's attention, landing them on the front page of De Telegraaf, Holland's most popular daily newspaper.

Here’s a recap of the events that led to this remarkable moment in Luv's history.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the trio achieved remarkable success with a string of hits, including "You're the Greatest Lover" (1978), "Trojan Horse" (1978), "Casanova" (1979), "Ooh, Yes I Do" (1979), and "My Number One" (1980). They found popularity in eighteen countries during this time. However, Luv' disbanded in 1981 following a lineup change in the summer of 1980, when Ria Thielsch replaced Patty Brard. This marked the end of a brief but intense period of international success, which lasted from 1977 to 1981. They released thirteen singles and four albums throughout their career, earned fourteen gold and platinum records, and achieved hits in seventeen countries. They won a Dutch Export Award (Conamus Export Prize) and sold 7 million records, securing appearances on European TV shows and magazine covers.

Luv' on "All You Need Is Luv'" (TROS TV Special - November 1978)

In early 1985, Dutch celebrity gossip magazine Story brought the original trio together for a photo session and an interview.

Luv' on the cover of "Story" (February 1985)

On October 27th, 1988, Luv' reunited for a one-off performance on "Samen", a TV charity show hosted by Mies Bouwman on AVRO. They later planned to record a comeback album with British producers "Stock, Aitken & Waterman" (famous for the hits of Bananarama, Mel & Kim, Rick Astley and Kylie Minogue), but this project never materialized. José and Patty didn't want to participate in a comeback.

Luv' on Samen (1988)

Marga, who trademarked Luv's name in the autumn of 1989, relaunched the trio with two other girls: Diana van Berlo and Michelle Gold (later replaced by Carina Lemoine). This new formation only scored a Top 30 single ( "Welcome To My Party") in late 1989 and a minor hit ("He's My Guy") in 1991.

Luv' in 1989: Diana van Berlo, Marga Scheide & Michelle Gold

Despite their weak chart performance, the trio remained busy on television and on the stage. Their Christmas show in Dubai to support Dutch marines in 1990 generated lots of publicity.

Luv' (Diana van Berlo, Marga Scheide and Carina Lemoine) with Dutch marines in Dubai (December 1990)

But the public missed the magic of the initial line-up, and in late 1992, Marga's Luv' (this is how the fans nicknamed this incarnation of the group) disbanded.

In 1993, the original Luv' members—Patty Brard, José Hoebee, and Marga Scheide—reunited. They released a compilation album titled "Luv' Gold," which peaked at #9 on the Dutch albums chart and sold 40,000 copies in the Low Countries. A megamix was also produced, reaching the 23rd position on the Dutch Top 40. The trio went on a promotional tour across the Benelux countries, German-speaking nations, and Denmark.

Luv' in 1993

Luv's final studio album, titled "All You Need Is Luv'," was released in February 1994 and was exclusively available in Kruidvat stores, a chain of Dutch drugstores. This album sold 50,000 copies. The group performed sporadically before disbanding in late 1996.

In October 2003, Universal Music released a double CD compilation, "25 Jaar Na Waldolala," to celebrate Luv's 25th anniversary. This anthology featured their hit songs, album tracks, and bonus materials.

René Moonen, José Hoebee, Hans van Hemert and Ria Thielsch at the release party of "25 Jaar Na Waldolala" in Breda (October 13th, 2003)

Patty Brard was the former Luv' singer who was in the spotlight the most, thanks to her activities on television. Inspired by the success of "The Osbournes" on MTV, the reality series "Patty's Posse" aired on Yorin in 2003 and 2004, showcasing her domestic life, friends, and family, including her daughter Priscilla and her third husband, René Muthert. The show was a ratings success, averaging 850,000 viewers per episode.

Patty Brard, René Muthert & Priscilla Nasi on "Patty's Posse" (2003)

Meanwhile, José Hoebee retired from show business and ran a video rental store, The Movie Store, in her hometown of Best, near Eindhoven, for 18 months before selling it in the summer of 2003. With the assistance of Corry Konings, a popular Dutch singer, and her booking agency, José decided to revive her singing career. She began writing a weekly column for the now-defunct "Muziekmaken.nl," sharing anecdotes from her time with Luv', expressing her thoughts on Dutch entertainment, and addressing Patty's critiques in the media. In early 2004, she released a dance-oriented cover of a Four Tops classic, "Walk Away René," under the pseudonym "Stuff." José also recorded two tracks as a guest artist on a tribute album dedicated to Doris Day (entitled "Marjan Berger Meets Doris Day"). In the fall of 2004, she relocated to Lommel, Belgium, and hosted a music talent show called "Tijd Voor Muziek" on a local Dutch channel, VSM TV, produced by her husband, Will Hoebee. On December 13th, 2004, she served as a witness at Bonnie St. Claire's wedding, an event broadcast live on SBS 6's "Shownieuws."

Article about José Hoebee after she sold her video rental shop in 2003 "All You

José Hoebee in 2003

Algemeen Dagblad - September 10th, 2004: José escapes to Belgium

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As for Marga Scheide, her life took a tragic turn when her partner, record producer Jacques Zwart, died of a heart attack in Ibiza in April 2003. It took her several months to cope with this sudden loss. She continued to run an online music store that Zwart had launched in 2001 and, in 2004, established another online service specializing in merchandise for Dutch celebrities.

In the autumn of 2004, Patty Brard starred in "Patty's Fort", a Yorin program featuring celebrities (including Marga Scheide and Chimène van Oosterhout) undergoing therapy that included fasting, yoga, and meditation. The show caused a stir, partly due to a segment that included Patty undergoing an enema, which led to it being pejoratively dubbed the "Klysma show." During the airing of "Patty's Fort," Patty was devastated by the news of her brother Robert's death at age 43 due to kidney disease.

Marga & Patty on "Patty's Fort" (2004)

Algemeen Dagblad -November 23rd, 2004: Interview with Patty Brard

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In November 2004, a secret meeting took place between René Moonen (the initiator of "25 Jaar Na Waldolala"), the three original Luv' members, and Hans van Hemert. They discussed the possibility of a reconciliation and potential comeback. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, during an appearance on "Jensen!," a late-night talk show on RTL 5, Patty, appearing somewhat inebriated, insulted José, causing the plans for a reunion to collapse.

Hans van Hemert and his Luv' protégées secret meeting in late 2004

Luv' in Weekend magazine (2004)

The fans were pessimistic about the chance of seeing the group performing again. However, José's 51st birthday was a turning point on March 29th, 2005. Patty visited José in Lommel, Belgium, where she lived with her husband Will. At the time, Patty was working on her reality show "Pat's Life" on Yorin, which involved meeting significant figures from her life, including Hans van Hemert, her ex-lover Pepe Lienhard (a famous Swiss bandleader) and Luv'. The ladies solved their problems and finally José accepted Patty's apologies in front of the camera.e

"Rasta" Patty during her "Pat's Life" era (2005)

A few days later, on April 7th, 2005, the Luv' ladies created a sensation with a surprise performance at the 60th birthday celebration and 40th business anniversary of their former producer, Hans van Hemert, held at the Wisseloord studios in Hilversum, Netherlands. This unique event made headlines, and the trio even graced the front page of "De Telegraaf." Nothing could hinder the long-awaited comeback of Luv'.

Commemorative frame given by René Moonen to Hans van Hemert on April 7th, 2005, celebrating his 40-year career with a collage of photos of Luv'

Luv' at the front page of De Telegraaf (April 2005)

Dagblad van het Noorden - April 9th, 2005

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Algemeen Dagblad - April 11th, 2005

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Footage of José and Patty's reconciliation, along with Luv's surprise performance at Hans van Hemert's birthday, was featured in the April 25th, 2005 episode of "Pat's Life".

Luv' and Hans van Hemert on "Pat's Life" (April 25th, 2005)

This unforgettable moment in Luv's journey led to a spectacular comeback one year later. But that’s another story...

Source: Luv' weblog archives, Delpher, YouTube....