| Judie Tzuke |
Judie Tzuke at the Fairfield Halls in September 1985
|
| Background information |
| Birth name |
Judie Myers |
| Also known as |
Judie Tzuke |
| Born |
3 April 1956 (1956-04-03) (age 53) |
| Origin |
London, England |
| Years active |
1979-present |
| Website |
tzuke.com |
Judie Tzuke (born Judie Myers, 3 April 1956 in London) is an English singer/songwriter. Her father, Sefton Myers, was a successful property developer who also managed artists and singers—most notably Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice during the writing of Jesus Christ Superstar. Her family relocated from Poland to England in the 1920s, and changed their surname from Tzuke to Myers. When Tzuke embarked on her singing career, she decided to reclaim the family's Polish name. Her mother, Jean Silverside, was a television actress. Tzuke has five children: Bailey, also a singer-songwriter; Tallula Muggleton-Tzuke; Annie Moody Muggleton; Andy Muggleton; and Jamie Muggleton.
Career
Beginnings
Educated in the visual arts, performing arts, and music, Tzuke performed in folk clubs from the age of 15. Her meeting with Mike Paxman in 1975 was a turning point and they began to collaborate. They eventually secured a recording contract and formed a band with Paul Muggleton. Under the name of "Tzuke and Paxo," the band released singles, beginning with "These are the Laws" (1975). Judie and Paul later had two children together, Bailey and Tallula.
Early success
Judie Tzuke's first album,
Welcome to the Cruise, 1979
Tzuke's career proper began in 1977, when she signed to Elton John's label Rocket Records. Her first single on Rocket, "For You" (1978), was released under the name of Tzuke and Paxo. However, her first major success - the classic single "Stay with Me till Dawn", released in 1979 - was released simply under "Judie Tzuke". Judie's first album, Welcome to the Cruise, which featured "Stay with Me till Dawn" and some of the Tzuke and Paxo singles, achieved great critical and commercial success. In 2002, "Stay With Me till Dawn" was chosen by the British public as one of the fifty best British songs 1952-2002 (ranking number 39)[1]. The song was also sampled by Mylo in the song "Need You Tonite", which is taken from his 2004 album Destroy Rock & Roll.
The singer's second album, Sportscar (1980), did not fare so well; possibly because Elton John decided to change his label's distribution company part-way through his American tour (on which Judie was support act), meaning that all support for the tour, and for Tzuke's records in the USA, was pulled. Tzuke released one more record on Rocket, I Am the Phoenix (1982), but then decided to leave for Chrysalis Records.
Middle career
In 1982 Tzuke joined a new label, Chrysalis Records, which promoted well in the UK music press her first album for them, Shoot The Moon. The album gained good reviews and spawned three singles, including a picture disc 7", with the album faring well in the UK charts. Tzuke completed a 57 date tour of the UK, culminating as the headline act at that year's Glastonbury Festival. The performance was recorded for a TV special on UK commercial broadcaster ITV. Several performances from the tour were recorded and released at the end of 1982 as a double album, Road Noise: The Official Bootleg.
In summer 1983 Rocket Records issued The Best, an odd compilation album which left out two of her single releases. "Black Furs" was issued as a single using a different recording than that which featured on the album or previous issue I Am The Phoenix. September 1983 saw the release of the much anticipated Ritmo album (Italian for rhythm). The album was somewhat a departure from previous work with a much more electronic feel. The single "Jeanie No" preceded the album and was played heavily on radio, yet did not chart. An edit and extended remix of the track were issued on 7" and 12" (Tzuke's first). The subsequent single "How Do I Feel?" did not fare any better. Chrysalis did not release the album or singles outside of the UK. During autumn 1983 Tzuke toured, taking in larger (but fewer) venues.
Tzuke believed that Chrysalis was not interested in promoting her material and decided to take control of her releases, opting for an independent company release of material over the next two years. "You" was released in October 1984; a cover of a lesser-known Marvin Gaye track, turning a rather sedate piece into a grinding electro production. Several different versions of the track were released on the 7" and 12" issues.
In early 1985 "I'll Be The One" was issued as the second single, released with an impressive video to promote the track. The Cat Is Out album was released in spring 1985 charting at number 35. June 1985 saw the third single "Love Like Fire" released, again with several remixes on the 7" and 12" issues. September 1985 saw the final single "This Side of Heaven" issued at the same time as the tour. The Cat Is Out Tour proved to be Tzuke's most successful to date with capacity crowds at some of the UK's largest venues. The Fairfield Halls, Croydon date was recorded for a TV special, which many years later was issued as a CD/DVD release. "This Side of Heaven" began to be played by BBC Radio 1 DJ Gary Davis, who made it his record of the week in January 1985, helping Tzuke to reach number 100 in the UK charts. According to Record Mirror in their 1985 end of year review of artists and sales, by the end of 1985 Tzuke was the 5th best selling British female singer for the first half of the 1980s.
After a quiet period following the birth of her daughter Bailey. In 1989 the Turning Stones album was released and "We'll Go Dreaming" became Tzuke's first top 75 hit for ten years. Turning Stones charted reasonably, but was quickly deleted by Polydor following a dispute over the 1989 tour, which was subsequently cancelled, enraging fans who turned up to venues. Tzuke apologised to fans telling them that the cancellation of the tour was out of her control and not her fault.
August 1990 saw another record company, Columbia Records (CBS), issuing a new single "God Only Knows" a cover version of the Beach Boys classic. Despite the single issued in a myriad of versions (7", 7" poster wrap, limited edition numbered 10", 12" and CD single) plus a video, the song failed to gain chart success.
The next album Left Hand Talking was released in May 1991. March 1991 saw a 3 track promo issued widely in independent record stores, and April 1991 two performances at London's Shaw Theatre. "Outlaws" was released in June 1991, on the Columbia label and readily available in independent retailers, but with no impact upon the charts.
Taking control of the copyright of her material, Tzuke and Paul set up a studio in their home and the 1992 album Wonderland was released on the Essential Label, with two single releases, "Wonderland" and "Fly". Neither album nor singles charted, but the album gained good reviews and featured the talents of Brian May from Queen and Nigel Kennedy on violin. Tzuke stated in later interviews that Wonderland was the album she felt most proud of as a songwriter[citation needed]. Most of the album was co-written with Bob Noble. Autumn 1992 saw a small tour, this time playing at much smaller venues.
August 1995 saw the release of two albums. The BBC issued its recording of the September 1981 concert and Polygram issued a compilation album called Stay With Me Till Dawn which drew on Tzuke's first three albums released on Rocket with tracks from the Turning Stones Polydor release. The album included four single remixes which had not previously been available on CD.
Under the Angels was issued on Big Moon Records in October 1996, Tzuke and Paul's own record label.
Big Moon period
With Big Moon Records, Tzuke's audience has grown steadily[citation needed]; Tzuke toured Under the Angels and released a live CD, Over the Moon (1997), and went on to record a second studio album, Secret Agent (1999). Bob Harris of BBC Radio 2 included one of her songs, "Tonight" (from Secret Agent), on his compilation CD. In 2000 Elton John was persuaded to give back to Tzuke the rights to her first three albums recorded under Rocket Records; Tzuke named her tour later that year the "Phoenix Tour," a reference to her last Rocket Records album, "I Am the Phoenix." Following this came a new live album (Six Days Before the Flood, 2000), a new studio album (Queen Secret Keeper, 2001) and a third live album (Drive Live, 2002).
Current career
The level of Tzuke's success under Big Moon has been such that she has been approached by a number of well-known artists to work as a songwriter. Over the last few years, Tzuke has contributed vocals and co-written with a varied selection of artists, including 4 top 40 hits for Lucie Silvas and the majority of songs on her "Breath In" and "The Same Side" albums from 2005 and 2007.
In 2006, Tzuke provided vocals for the song "Falling Down" for the group Hybrid and their album "I Choose Noise." Two Judie co-writes featured on Canadian identical twins Ryandan self-named release for Universal in 2007. "Like The Sun" and "High" were both released as singles. Their album reached number 7 in the UK album charts.
In 2007, Tzuke released the album Songs 1, during her biggest tour in almost a decade, with her daughter Bailey Tzuke on backing vocals, and collaborations with other musicians, such as Gareth Gates on piano.
June 2008 saw the release of Tzuke's sixteenth studio album, Songs 2. Judie co-wrote 4 tracks from releases by Morcheeba during 2008, and featured vocally on 2 tracks from the "Dive Deep" album, including the lead single "Enjoy The Ride". October/November 2008 saw Judie reach number 37 in the USA adult comtemporary chart with a cover of "Captain Of The Heart" guesting on vocals for American Jazz combo Project Grand Slam on their self-titled album . The track was not officially released as a single, but through popularity with air play and downloading became a chart success. Hot on the heals of this there was an official USA release (via CD Baby only) and international download release of the single "Christmas And I'm Home". Judie recorded versions of the song with Haim Cotton, pianist with Project Grand Slam. Proceeds from sales went to the New York Ronald McDonald's charity.
On 18 July 2009 Judie took part in a Teenage Cancer benefit concert at Kilworth House, Leicestershire alongside Lucie Silvas, performing 3 tracks solo (Long Time Coming, Stay With Me Till Dawn and If) accompanied by a string quartet. Judie returned to the stage for an encore performance alongside Lucie singing their co-written "Place To Hide" as a duet, receiving a standing ovation from th entire audience.
Discography
Studio albums
Live albums
References
External links
