Dr.Know

Dr. Know is a punk band from Los Angeles, CA with roots in Ventura County, CA.



They are one of the founding figures of the "Nardcore" punk movement from Oxnard, CA. The band was started by Kyle Toucher, Ismael Hernandez, and Robin Cartwright in early 1981, and after auditioning a few singers, Brandon Cruz was chosen (although technically the first singer was a Ventura punk named Joey Pena). The band recorded studio versions of several early songs with Cruz, which led to television appearances and gigs on the Los Angeles circuit.



However the early momentum was somewhat derailed by escalating inner turmoil which culminated in Cruz leaving the group in 1983, leaving Toucher to take over vocals just as the band was starting recording of Plug In Jesus for Mystic Records. Several more albums followed, including the Burn e.p. This Island Earth and Wreckage in Flesh were subsequently released on Death Records/Metal Blade, signalling a shift to a more Metal period in their sound. For This Island Earth the lineup was founding member Kyle Toucher on vocals and guitars, drummer Rik Heller and bassist Ismael Hernandez.



After an American tour with Scottish punks The Exploited, Heller returned to Scotland to team up with them, and Larry White was added to fill the position in Dr. Know. Hernandez subsequently also left, and was replaced by ex-Stäläg 13 member Tony Black on bass. Before long Black was replaced by Mike Purdy, and guitarist Tim Harkins was added, both of them also being former Stäläg 13 bandmates.



Dr. Know broke up shortly after Wreckage In Flesh was released in 1989, although they did a few scattered shows up until 1991. In 1998, Cruz called Henandez and together they approached Toucher to get the band back together. Toucher said no, but Hernandez and Cruz recruited others and embarked on a North American tour with big-name punk acts of the time.



Jeff Penalty has since replaced Cruz as the Dead Kennedys' vocalist, due purportedly to creative conflict, and Cruz maintains that Dr. Know's last breakup had nothing to do with his involvement with the DKs.



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