Judie Tzuke

As the new management at Sony decided to work primarily with more singles orientated artists, Jude felt that it had become the wrong label for her. After all the problems with record companies she decided to try another independent label, and talks began with Essential Records, a new label being started by Castle Communications, who were already a very successful company that had built their reputation with CD re-releases.

'Wonderland' was recorded at Big Ocean Studios and had guest appearances from Brian May of Queen and Nigel Kennedy. On the release of the album, Timothy White of Billboard magazine did an editorial and interview with Jude as part of his series 'Music to My Ears'.

The album was received with critical acclaim here and abroad and the single 'Wonderland' became a nationwide turntable hit. Jude realised that working with smaller labels gave her more control, but once again the record company was unable to sufficiently promote the album. Though not deleted this album was not available for most of 1996, and was re-released in 1997.

In 1992 Jude toured with the songs from the 'Wonderland' album and for the first time played smaller halls with a more intimate atmosphere, being more suitable for the new jazzier and lighter approach to her music.

In 1994 Jude and Paul's second daughter Tallula was born and Jude spent time working on new songs and developing her interest in photography. She took some publicity shots for her friend Virginia Astley and musically she worked on some of the projects Mike and Paul were doing at Big Ocean, singing on albums by Paul Norton in Australia, Nick Kamen (backing vocals on his hit 'I Promise Myself') vocals on an ambient production by Art of Noise member JJ Jeczalik and some backing vocals on tracks with Rush, Nick Green and Gary Moore.

She decided that in order to be more in charge of her future and to make sure that she did not sign away the rights to anymore of her albums, the best way forward was to take the plunge and to fund her own career.

Her own label 'Big Moon Records' was started and her first album on the label 'Under The Angels' was recorded between the autumn of 1995 and the summer of 1996.

Judie Tzuke

Produced as usual by Paul and Mike, the album featured the drumming of Andy Newmark and a series of new players with the intention of making a more performance orientated album, with a more 'natural' sound and without studio tricks or filtering.

In February and June 1997, Jude toured with the songs from the new album and a fantastic new band. A live album of these tours titled "Over The Moon" was released later in that year.

Judies next studio album "Secret Agent" was released in December 1998 and she toured again in the UK in January and February 1999.

In December 1999, Elton John offered to return the copyrights to Judie for her first three albums (originally released on Elton's Rocket label), and re-mastered versions of "Welcome To the Cruise", "Sportscar", and "I Am The Phoenix" were re-released on Big Moon in February 2000.

The "Phoenix 2000" UK tour took place in April/May 2000, and the "Other Half" tour in October 2000, during which Judie and her band previewed tracks from her next studio album "Queen Secret Keeper", which was released in late 2001.

A Live album of the October 2000 tour titled "Six Days Before The Flood" was released around Christmas 2000, and features four previously unrecorded songs, plus a version of Colin Bluntstone's hit "I Don't Believe In Miracles".