Cory, Jim and Mike are three likely lads from Winnipeg, Canada who formed a band that has evolved in to something pretty amazing. The Judes have a unique presence, that something special that sets them far apart from the everyday songs that bombard us at every turn. It is this simplicity and rawness that takes everyone to that great place which is fun, good times, and above all an appreciation of great music.

In memory of the Love that never got to be. This is for you.

King of Crows is the third original music project from Singer/Songwriter, Dee McLaren, previously with Ayrial (2005-2007) and Vinyl (2008-2010). Dee has also been the frontman and manager of popular Glasgow based cover band, Splendid Gentlemen since 2010 and continues to play continuously with them to this day. 

This project has been in the pipeline and under various different titles and line ups since the break up of Ayrial in 2008, but never seemed to be able to take the simple step from a good idea to a living, working reality. The original intentions of forming the wedding band, Splendid Gentlemen was to enable Dee to leave the day job behind and focus on writing, recording and performing original music in the free time created. Still, two and a half years passed from the beginnings of Splendid Gentlemen and still there was no original music. 

It was not until the closing months of 2012 that fate sent a messenger who was able to finally restart the rusty engines and firmly kick this project from a dream to the beginnings of a reality. Though she came and passed in the blink of an eye, to watch her move so gracefully through life was nothing short of inspirational to witness and so, this is the legacy she left. 

This project began with one song. Ayrial released their second and final record, 'Long Time' in 2007, and since then, though Dee had written scores of work, no one had heard a thing. Doubt always creeps in where uncertainty lies. So, although there was scores of work written, the longer it was left to lie, the less inclination there was to share it, and so, there it lay. 

But the events at the close of 2012 lead to the song, You'll Never Know being written one hungover morning, and reluctant though he was to share it, a friend convinced Dee to put it online. The reaction received from this one song was so positive and inspiring that it finally set the wheels in motion again and through that song, all that is now was born. 

After deciding to make things more formal, King of Crows was finally decided as the flag to fly under and it was time to start work. 

The first record, 'Up From the Ashes: The Ayrial Sessions', due for release on CD and MP3 in Summer 2013 comprises the best of the work written during 2005-2007, while with Ayrial. 9 of the songs included on the album were originally recorded and released on either 'The Life E.P.' (2006) or 'Long Time' (2007). The last 5 are a selection of the songs written for the never released 'Ayrial III'. 

The Ayrial sound was a combination of Dee's unique voice, high energy bursts of distorted guitars with anthemic, sing along choruses and hooks, dealing with the subject matters experienced during late teens/young manhood. Though Ayrial never achieved any commercial success, Dee found that people still fondly remembered songs like Someday, some 8 years after it was written. So this album is more a labour of love, than anything else. Hopefully this time around, with harder work and the advances in ability, understanding and technology, these songs can be brought to a much wider audience, laying the groundwork for all of the future releases to come.

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