Downfall (band)
Encyclopedia
Downfall was a ska
and punk
band from the Bay Area formed by Tim Armstrong, Matt Freeman, Dave Mello, Pat Mello, and Jason Hammon following the break-up of Operation Ivy
in 1989 and pre-dating Armstrong's and Freeman's wider recognition in Rancid
. They performed three shows, one at 924 Gilman Street
, over a period of three months.
, "New Regulations" on the "Very Small World" compilation on Very Small Records
, "Long Way to Go" on the "They Don't Get Paid, They Don't Get Laid, But Boy Do They Work Hard!" compilation LP on Maximum RocknRoll
, and "My City" on the "Later That Same Year" compilation cassette/CD. Rumors of a CD release called "Get Ready for Action" have been circulating for years, and it's uncertain whether that will ever happen. Low quality recordings of the songs are available, hard to track down, and extremely well received by Operation Ivy fans who have heard them.
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
and punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band from the Bay Area formed by Tim Armstrong, Matt Freeman, Dave Mello, Pat Mello, and Jason Hammon following the break-up of Operation Ivy
Operation Ivy (band)
Operation Ivy was an American ska punk band that formed in Berkeley, California, and was often credited with spurring the 1990s punk revival in California. It is well-known as one of the first bands to "mix" hardcore punk with elements of ska, known as ska-core...
in 1989 and pre-dating Armstrong's and Freeman's wider recognition in Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
. They performed three shows, one at 924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street is an all-ages, not for profit, collectively organized music club usually referred to by its fans simply as "The Gilman." It is located in the West Berkeley area of Berkeley, California about a mile and a half west of the North Berkeley BART station and a quarter-mile west of San...
, over a period of three months.
Line-up
- Tim ArmstrongTim ArmstrongTimothy Lockwood Armstrong is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work with punk rock bands Rancid, Operation Ivy, Downfall, and the Transplants. He is also the owner and operator of Hellcat Records.-Personal life:Armstrong was born November 25, 1965 and was...
- Vocals - Matt FreemanMatt FreemanMatthew "McCall" Freeman is an American musician. He is best known for his bass guitar work with the punk rock bands Operation Ivy, Rancid and as the frontman of Devil's Brigade.-Playing style:...
- Bass - Dave MelloDave MelloDave Mello was the drummer of the punk/ska band Operation Ivy. He was one of the key pieces to the musical feel of Operation Ivy.Operation Ivy's first show was held in Mello's garage in Albany, California. He played for them only two years. They broke up in 1989 because of unwanted attention...
- Drums - Pat Mello - Guitar
- Jason Hammon - Guitar
Releases
The only official Downfall releases were the songs "North Berkeley" on the "Can of Pork" compilation on Lookout! RecordsLookout! Records
-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
, "New Regulations" on the "Very Small World" compilation on Very Small Records
Very Small Records
Very Small Records is an independent record label, formed in 1989 by David Hayes, co-founder and former co-owner of Lookout! Records. The label releases primarily pop punk and punk rock records....
, "Long Way to Go" on the "They Don't Get Paid, They Don't Get Laid, But Boy Do They Work Hard!" compilation LP on Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum rocknroll is a widely distributed, monthly not-for-profit fanzine based in San Francisco, USA. It features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors...
, and "My City" on the "Later That Same Year" compilation cassette/CD. Rumors of a CD release called "Get Ready for Action" have been circulating for years, and it's uncertain whether that will ever happen. Low quality recordings of the songs are available, hard to track down, and extremely well received by Operation Ivy fans who have heard them.
Songs
- North Berkeley
- As One
- Step in Line
- Hard Life
- Destruction
- Going Down
- New Regulations
- The Storm
- Blank Generation
- My City
- Long Way To Go