Citizens Of Contrary Knowledge are a New York City band whose four members come from extremely varied backgrounds. But upon hearing them you get the impression they’ve known each other for a lifetime or more.

Drummer, Blake Hepburn is a Harlem resident who grew up in White Plains, NY. Charming, dread-locked and a Pisces, Blake attended the Univ. of Pittsburgh, but received his Masters degree in Funk and Astrology from the Univ. of Life, School of Hard Knocks. He is a complex man who cites “The Excorcist” as his favorite movie, yet counts Jesus as one of his idols. Part Bruce Lee, part Jimi Hendrix, part John Bonham, Blake’s drumming has graced the stage of countless artists including Atlantic Starr, Groove Collective and the Harlem Gospel Choir.

Bassist, Mike Leslie has been a journeyman who has performed and recorded with Joan Osborne, Rufus Wainwright, and Rick Derringer, to name but a few. He honed his skills at the Berklee College of Music and the Univ. of Montana, but his most noteworthy training came from the Yellowsone County Correctional Facility, where his alter ego, “Lucky” was born. Any man who lists Zero Mostel, Ghengis Khan and his mother as his heros must surely be fitting of the term, “contrary.”

Guitarist, Mark Hermann, also a resident of Harlem, grew up in southern Connecticut, which may (or may not) explain his deep Southern blues influences. Mark left Syracuse University, where he was attending on a Modern Interpretive Dance scholarship, for a life on the road with rock legends, Joe Walsh and Foreigner. Years on the road armed Mark with some of the most insane stories this side of Hunter S. Thompson. Living for a while in the sunshine of L.A. as a songwriter, producer and session player, he produced numerous acts including “Five For Fighting.” Influenced by the music of Jimi and Miles, the poetry of Rumi and the essays of Emerson, he found himself longing for the energy of playing rock ‘n roll in New York and headed back East in search of like-minded Citizens.

Frontman and singer, Chris Barczynski, known as “Breeze” while in the Witness Protection Program, was raised in every small Pennsylvania town with a steel plant and a Dairy Queen. He attended Franklin and Marshall College and the Univ. of Dayton, where he read far too much Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn and Albert Einstein to ever function in “normal” society. His travels with bands and as solo artist have found him sharing the stage with acts such as Green Day, Live, Fuel, Sugar Ray and Hootie, to name a few. He has appeared on Last Call with Carson Daly and was a semi-finalist on Star Search, but fronting a kick-ass rock and roll band is where he truly belongs.
A C.O.C.K. Story:

New York City’s long and storied love affair with rock and roll has produced some of the world’s most sensational rock bands. Soon to be added to that illustrious list are Harlem’s own Citizens Of Contrary Knowledge. This group of four journeyman musicians are poised to burst onto the national scene with the release of their debut CD, “You’re what you wish you are…”- an eclectic amalgam of funk, rock, modern rock, and soul that is quickly garnering critical acclaim and popular appeal. Citizens Of Contrary Knowledge possess a sound that has far too long been missing in modern rock, and without being derivative, have coalesced influences as varied as Zeppelin and Prince, Hendrix and U2, Cream and STP into a purely emotional, original, and modern sound. “You’re what you wish you are…” is a solid freshman effort from this prolific foursome whose possibilities for producing great rock and roll seem endless.

Citizens Of Contrary Knowledge are currently in the studio recording our second CD, tentatively entitled “il contra”, due to be released later this year. The first single, “califorNYa”, can be downloaded from our “music” page(click on “music” above). No tour dates are scheduled as of yet, but please check back periodically to our “gigs” page above for upcoming dates. To receive emails informing you of tour dates, free downloads, and C.O.C.K. news, please sign up for our mailing list below on this page.

*** Extra, Extra, Read All About It! ***
Citizens’ own Mark Hermann featured in the New York Times! Read about his journey uptown to Harlem and see The Dungeon, Citizens’ private recording studio. Check it out!

Citizens’ music on Showtime Network!!
***our song “House Of Cards” has been licensed to Showtime for use in the ad campaign for the upcoming second season of their hit show “The Tudors” starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII***
………….visit http://www.sho.com/site/tudors/home.do?source=shocom_nav and click on “video” to see all of the previews for the new season including “House Of Cards” or just play the YouTube version here on the home page