KING OF HIS CASTLE

The relationship between an up-and-coming artist and a major label always is a fragile one.

Oregon-based Justin King -- a solid singer and songwriter, not to mention a dazzling guitarist -- can attest to that.

When Epic dismissed the A&R people who had signed him to the label, King and his band were left "without a champion."

And that, he adds, "is death for a new artist who hasn't already sold a lot of records."

Then another familiar scenario took place: Label honchos told him they didn't hear a radio single on what was to be King's first Epic album.

"I kept trying to write what I thought they wanted to hear," recalls King, "but I don't do my best writing under conditions like that."

After three rounds of "we don't hear a single," King says, "it became pretty clear that Epic was not where I belonged, so we agreed -- quite amicably -- to part company."

The split became official in March, but there's a happy ending to the story: Epic allowed King to take the in-progress album with him.

"That was quite nice of them, actually, because they had the right contractually to hold onto it and not let me put it out somewhere else without giving them a lot of money," he says.

The album -- now complete and featuring King's three-man band, The Apologies -- is due in August on a label to be determined (possibly King's own). Meanwhile, there's plenty of King material available online. His official site (www.justinking.com) sells (via iTunes) and streams his recent five-song EP, fall/rise. His MySpace page (www.myspace.com/justinkingband) features four tunes, including "Beauty Bar," a top-notch song from his short-lived Epic era.

King and his band have a handful of concert dates scheduled for this month and July. His only East Coast date booked during that time is Sunday (June 10) at the Mercury Lounge, 217 E. Houston St. in Manhattan. Go to www.mercuryloungenyc.com for more info about Sunday's gig.