All About LUV' (past, present, future and more): Luv's intense Spring of 1980!!!

40th anniversary (March-May 1980)

This Is True Luv' TV special / Success of Ooh, Yes I Do on the French hit parade / Eyecandy on TV / Luv' to perform in the Soviet Union and Japan / Memorable promo tour in Mexico/ Patty & Marga in love

Luv' in front of the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, Mexico (May 1980)

40 years ago, between March and May 1980, the Luv' ladies had the world at their feet. The Spring of 1980 was very intense for the girl group: Patty Brard, Marga Scheide and José Hoebee took part in TV tapings through Europe; their songs were played in heavy rotation on the radio; they sold millions of records; the trio conquered two new territories: France and Mexico; the Dutch tabloid press focused on their love lives (in particular Marga and Patty's ones).

1978 and 1979 had been fabulous years. The Luv' girls reached their peak in a large part of Continental Europe and overseas (including South Africa, Zimbabwe and New Zealand). They scored several popular hit records on the charts: U.O.Me, You're the Greatest Lover, Trojan Horse, Casanova, Eeny Meeny Miny Moe and Ooh, Yes I Do. Their three albums (With Luv', Lots Of Luv' and True Luv') sold well.

On December 31st, 1979, the group won the Conamus Export Prize for "best selling Dutch recording act abroad". The award was presented to Patty, Marga and José by the well known Dutch violinist Theo Olof during a live broadcast on TROS radio. More than 2.5 million records were sold outside the Netherlands in 1979.

Luv' with their Conamus Export Prize on December 31st, 1979

The first single that came out in 1980 was Ann-Maria. It was the follow-up record to Ooh, Yes I Do and was taken from the trio's third album True Luv'. Due to its Mexican and Latino orchestration, this track had similarities with Boney M.'s El Lute and ABBA's Chiquitita and Fernando. This Piet Souer-penned song (produced by Hans van Hemert) featured a children's choir like ABBA's hit "I Have A Dream. Ann-Maria peaked at #4 on the Nationale Hitparade and #11 on the Top 40 in the Netherlands, #10 on the BRT Top 30 and #14 on the Ultratop in Belgium and #37 on Musikmarkt/Media Control charts in Germany (see news posted on February 23rd, 2020).

This Is True Luv' TV Special

On March 28th, 1980, Dutch channel NCRV aired a 25-minute special entitled This is True Luv' (named after the group's third album). Because only two networks existed in the Netherlands at this time, Luv's exposure on TV was huge.

TROS had already broadcast two previous specials in 1978 (see article posted on November 19th, 2018) and 1979 (see article posted on July 13th, 2019).

The ladies performed eight songs on the True Luv show (Wine, Women and Song, Boys Goodnight; Ooh, Yes I Do; Rhythm 'n Shoes; Ann-Maria; My Guy; Getaway; Let There Be Love).

The music program was taped in Bénalmadena, Spain. It was directed by Henny Budie and produced by John de Mol (founder of Endemol and Talpa). During the show's taping, Patty Brard (who was married to TV star Ron Brandsteder) had an affair with Budie, and Marga Scheide fell in love with De Mol. Shortly afterwards, Patty and Ron were getting a divorce. Marga left her fiancé Peter Smithuis and was romantically involved with John. These stories hit the headlines of Holland's most popular newspaper, De Telegraaf. In 2004, José mentioned these events in one of her columns on the now-defunct Muziekmaken.nl website. She considered True Luv as their best special. Patty also discussed this TV show in her recent biography, written by Michel van Egmond and Antoinnette Scheulderman (see news posted on April 27th, 2020).

Patty, José, John de Mol and manager Pim ter Linde during the taping of This Is True Luv'

On July 4th, 1980, NCRV reran the TV special with One More Little Kissy as a bonus track. In 2006, This is True Luv was included on the "Back In Luv" DVD.

Article in Limburgsch dagblad - March 28th, 1980

Videos of This is True Luv' special:

Boys Goodnight

Rhythm 'n Shoes

Ann-Maria

My Guy

Getaway

Let There Be Love

Ooh, Yes I Do: success in France

Luv' on the Champs Elysées in Paris during the promotion of Ooh, Yes I Do (early 1980)

Unlike Benelux and German-speaking countries, France was a difficult market for Luv'. You're the Greatest Lover was renamed Sing me, sing me a chanson in the country of Wine, Cuisine and Haute couture. The single reached the French Top 20 with difficulty. In contrast, it was a chart-topper in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark and peaked at #2 in Austria (see article posted on August 5th, 2018).

As for Trojan Horse, it painfully reached the French Top 50, whereas it had been popular in other Continental European countries as well as New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe (see the article posted on September 6th, 2018).

The follow-up records (Casanova and Eeny Meeny Miny Moe) didn't chart at all in France.

A miracle happened when Ooh, Yes I Do entered the French Top 10 in May-June 1980. The single spent 18 weeks on the hit list and sold 227.002 copies in France (see news posted on January 27th, 2019). When it was announced that Ooh, Yes I Do was successful in the land of baguettes, Marga had a party to celebrate this good news.

Luv' and Sacha Distel on Numéro Un Sacha Distel (broadcast on TF1 - May 17th, 1980).

Ooh, Yes I Do could have meant Luv's real breakthrough in the land of berets but an unexpected event within the group put an end to it: Patty's sudden departure in July 1980. But that's another story...

Éxito en México

At the same time as the beginning of their success in France, Luv's record company and management planned a promo tour in Mexico. The singers and their crew flew by Concorde to Mexico City on May 4th, 1980.

Diploma received by Luv's manager Pim ter Linde as he flew by Concorde - Luv' also got it

Their records were released by Discos Musart in Zapata's country. Luv' took part in a press conference, in the taping of a couple of TV programs, radio interviews and photo shoots. Moreover, a special party was organized. The girls received two gold records (one for Si, Que Si (the Spanish version of Ooh, Yes I Do) and another for the 50.000 sales of their True Luv' album in Holland).

From left to right: Patty Brard, Manager Pim ter Linde, Record executive Bart van de Laar, Mexican director of Discos Musart, José Hoebee and Marga Scheide

Mexican gold record for Si, Que Si

Luv' and the press: a big love story

Since their debut in 1977, the girls had been the sweethearts of the Dutch media, in particular teen and music magazines as well as the tabloid press. During the Spring of 1980, the trio remained in the spotlight.

Press clippings (click on the images to enlarge them):

Hitkrant, March 20th, 1980: Luv' giving a dancing lesson

Hitkrant, April 1980: Luv' in Paris during Easter Holidays:

Hitkrant, April 10th, 1980: Luv' receiving a platinum record for their With Luv' album from Phonogram (their previous label before they signed a deal with CNR/Carrere).

Hitkrant, May 8th, 1980: Patty and Esther (of Dolly Dots) having a Bo Derek haircut:

Hitkrant, May 22nd, 1980: Luv' in Mexico:

Kwik Magazine, July 7th 1980: Luv' needs security in Mexico:

Luv': Eyecandy on TV

In 1980, Luv' were a sought-after act for TV shows in Europe and Mexico. Here is the list of their TV performances between late March and late May 1980:

* March 23rd: Ooh, Yes I Do on Les Rendez-Vous Du Dimanche (TF1), France

* March 28th: This is True Luv' (TV special) on NCRV, Netherlands

* Unknown broadcast date: Ooh, Yes I Do on Musik und Gäste (Schweizer Fernsehen), Switzerland

* April 10th: Ann-Maria on Musikladen (Radio Bremen), Germany

* April 20th: Ann-Maria on Chansons A La Carte (RTBF), Belgium

* May 3rd: Medley (Ooh, Yes I Do, Boys Goodnight, Ann-Maria, Rhythm 'n Shoes) on Stuif es uit (AVRO/Nederland 1), Netherlands

* May 17th: Ooh, Yes I Do on Numéro un Sacha Distel (TF1), France

* May 17th: Ann-Maria on Die aktuelle Schaubude (NDR), West Germany

* Unknown broadcast date: TV shows in Mexico

* May 24th: Ooh, Yes I Do and Boys Goodnight on Aplauso (TVE-1), Spain

Luv' to conquer the Soviet Union and Japan?

After Continental Europe and Mexico, Luv' wanted to conquer other big territories: the Soviet Union and Japan.

In an article published on April 26th, 1980, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf announced that the trio would sing in Moscow, the Soviet Union, in the summer. They were invited by the Russian authorities to perform on Soviet Central television. They were also expected to put out an album entitled From Russia with Luv'. This great news coincided with the political turmoil caused by the boycott of the Summer Olympics in Moscow by some Western countries.

The three lovely singers wanted to follow in the footsteps of Boney M. who made a much-publicized promotional visit to the USSR in 1978.

De Telegraaf - April 26th, 1980

Article from Hitkrant, Spring 1980

Moreover, Luv' were supposed to participate in the World Popular Song Festival (also known as Yamaha Music Festival) in November 1980 in Tokyo, Japan. This contest could be their breakthrough in Asia. The ladies confirmed this big project in interviews published in Algemeen Dagblad on May 30th, 1980 and in Limburgsch Dagblad on June 14th, 1980:

Algemeen Dagblad on May 30th, 1980

Limburgsch Dagblad on June 14th, 1980

But the conquests of Russia and Japan never materialized due to Patty's surprising abandonment.

Marga and Patty's love lives exposed in the media

After the taping of the True Luv special, the Dutch press was informed that Marga Scheide started to date TV mogul John de Mol which caused a sensation in Holland. Meanwhile, Patty's marriage with Ron Brandsteder came to an end. After her brief affair with Henny Budie, she fell in love with Italian record executive Carlo Nasi during Luv's stay in Mexico. These love stories overshadowed Luv's activities in the Netherlands.