Judie Tzuke - Press Cuttings.
The following article was published in Mojo Magazine in January 1999.
Judie Tzuke
This English singer-songwriter recently notched up 20 years in the business. It's been a bumpy ride too: fluctuating from top 20 hits and support slots with Elton John tp prematurely deleted albums (1987's Turning Stones), Judie Tzuke's prevailing problem was finding a record label with whom she felt comfortable - a dilemma that saw her skip from Rocket to Chrysalis to Polydor to Sony (not the full list) "When I was with the majors they wanted to get in stylists. I did go with a few but the ones I went with were the ones I got on with and we did what I wanted." Jude muses. She also recognises that because of her '78 Number 16 hit, Stay With Me Till Dawn, she was associated with a sweet, wistful sound. "There was once a company I signed with," she remembers. "And the owner came to see me live, he'd seen my audience and he signed me on that strength. I thought he'd signed me for what I am but then he called me into the office and said, 'What about doing a cover of Angel Of The Morning?' and I just thought, I've done it again, I'm stuck with a company who doesn't see what I do."
Judie recently released her 11th album, Secret Agent, the second to be released on her own label, Big Moon. "I'm more confident now because I'm in control of it and I'm more ambitious because I want to survive," she entruses of her independant status.
It's also liberated her to debole in unexpected worlds. Soul to Soul's Jazzy B recently approached Judie after her previous album Under The Angels was unexpectantly put on Jazz and Kiss FM's playlist, Judie Tzuke club diva? "I don't go to many clubs but I like dance music," she says.
"I veer from really emotional, suicidal, intense stuff to hip hop and dance. And I'm very into rhythm," she continues. "'Secret Agent' is a bit more that way. I need to try different things. I've been in the business 20 years but I'm full of ideas at the moment, more than ever."
Until she was hypnotised two years ago, Judie Tzuke claims she suffered from Stagefright so severely there were times she had to be pushed on to the stage. But with a "Fantastic" band and her new-found confidence she's looking forward to the tour. Just don't expect melodic ditties in the vein of Stay With Me Till Dawn. "I'm not a ballad singer which is what a lot of people think. It's a lot more intricate and emotional. Most people are really shocked by what we do."
Secret Agent is available by mail order only, call 01932 859472 or visit Judie Tzuke's website at http://www.bigmoon.demon.co.uk/tzuke/
Followed by tour dates.
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