Operation Ivy (band)
Encyclopedia
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. The band consisted of Jesse Michaels
(lead vocals
), Tim Armstrong
(credited as "Lint") (guitar
, vocals), Matt Freeman
(credited as "Matt McCall") (bass
, vocals), and Dave Mello
(drums
). Although Operation Ivy had little mainstream success during its career, the band had a large underground following and influenced bands such as Sublime
and Green Day
. Its only studio album, Energy, has been cited as one of the greatest punk rock albums of all time. The band's name, previously used by the punk band, Isocracy
, was derived from the Operation Ivy
series of nuclear tests.
song "Journey to the End of the East Bay", which was featured on ...And Out Come the Wolves
(1995):
The name "Operation Ivy" was the original name of the punk band Isocracy
. Prior to the formation of Operation Ivy, Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman had been playing in the Berkeley
ska punk band Basic Radio
with Michael Valladares and Jeff Kamalian who would later go on to form the ska band Critical Mass. Its first live performance was on May 27, 1987 in Dave Mello's garage. The next day began a tradition of performances at the Berkeley punk collective center 924 Gilman Street
. Operation Ivy began playing a number of performances which led to its almost immediate cult-following. Later in 1987, the band made its debut on the Maximumrocknroll compilation album Turn It Around!. In January 1988, the band signed to Lookout! Records
and released its debut extended play Hectic
, which became one of Lookout!'s best-selling records. By this time, Operation Ivy, along with Crimpshrine
and The Mr. T Experience
, was one of the most successful punk bands from punk scene at 924 Gilman Street. The band began playing a number of performances and embarked on a tour across the United States
. By mid-1988, it began selling out larger venues and the pressure to sign to major labels began to rise.
The band released its only studio album Energy through Lookout! in May 1989. It broke-up the same month, and its last official live performance was on May 28, 1989. It was also Green Day
's first performance with the name Green Day at 924 Gilman Street, at what was supposed to have been its release party. Operation Ivy played one more performance the following day, mostly for friends and family, in Robert Eggplant
's backyard in Pinole, California
. In two years, the band had performed 185 shows and recorded a total of 32 songs (28 released officially, 4 on the bootlegged EP Plea for Peace), as well as songs which were recorded only as demos, such as "Hedgecore" (about a favorite pastime of the band which involved artfully jumping into manicured bushes), "Hangin' Out", "Sarcastic" and "Left Behind". Recordings from its aborted attempt to record Energy at 924 Gilman Street also exist, and include early versions of songs which appeared later on the final studio version of Energy, such as "6 to 10" which evolved into "Vulnerability", and an early version of "Unity" with horn accompaniment and a different chorus. All of its known demos and unreleased recordings are available on bootlegs.
The lyrics and tone of Operation Ivy's music portray a vociferous desire for social justice
and a strong distrust of mainstream
conformist
culture.
Hollywood Undead
released a cover of the song "Bad Town" in 2010,
Green Day
recorded a cover of the Operation Ivy song "Knowledge" for its extended play Slappy
and was later released on the compilation album 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours
. Green Day have continued to play the song live (where the band picks members out of the audience to play its instruments). A number of other artists have covered Operation Ivy songs, most of which are featured on Glue Factory Records Operation Ivy tribute album, Take Warning: The Songs of Operation Ivy (1997). The most notable bands on the tribute are: Long Beach Dub All Stars covering "Take Warning", Reel Big Fish
covering "Unity", Blue Meanies covering "Yellin' in My Ear", Cherry Poppin' Daddies
covering "Sound System", The Hippos
covering "Freeze Up" and The Aquabats
with a "campfire-style" cover of "Knowledge". Other bands to cover Operation Ivy songs include a rendition of "Healthy Body" by Area-7
, "Sound System" by Buck O Nine, "Caution" by No Trigger
and more covers of "Knowledge" by both Millencolin
and Evergreen Terrace. A number of local bands from around the U.S. have covered Operation Ivy songs. Additionally, Rancid
have played Operation Ivy songs at its live performances.
In 1991, two years after its break-up, Lookout! released a compilation album consisting of Energy, Hectic, and the songs "Officer" and "I Got No" from Turn It Around!. It was released as a complete discography (sometimes referred to as a re-release of Energy). It contains 27 songs, following the band's recorded history.
(their current and biggest project), The Ljs, Dance Hall Crashers
, Generator, Basic Radio
, Downfall
, Devil's Brigade
, Shaken 69
and Transplants. Additionally, Freeman has performed with Auntie Christ
, MDC
and Social Distortion
.
Drummer Dave Mello went on to perform in the punk band Schlong with his brother Pat and singer Gavin.
Michaels eventually resurfaced with a project band, Big Rig, which released a four-song EP titled Expansive Heart. In 1999 he formed Common Rider
, which included bassist Mass Giorgini
(producer and bassist for Squirtgun
) and drummer Dan Lumley
(of Squirtgun and Screeching Weasel
, among others). Common Rider released a seven-inch EP and two studio albums and toured nationwide before disbanding in 2003. B-sides from its second album This Is Unity Music
were used in a split EP with the Florida skacore band Against All Authority
.
During Rancid's US tour in 2006, Armstrong and Freeman played select tracks from their previous bands catalog. At a performance at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco on December 17, 2006, Michaels reunited with Armstrong and Freeman to perform the tracks "Unity" as well as "Sound System". It was his first time on stage with the two in over 15 years.
In 2008, Michaels collaborated with the indie/punk group Hard Girls to form a punk band called Classics of Love
. The band plays traditional punk rock with Michaels serving as the band's lead vocalist. They have a 6 song EP released on Asian Man Records.
's first two albums. Operation Ivy followed bands such as Green Day, Screeching Weasel
, The Queers
, and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
in leaving Lookout! and taking back the rights to their back catalog due to unpaid royalties.
Energy was later reissued on November 6, 2007 by Epitaph Records
subsidiary Hellcat Records
as a self-titled compilation album. Hellcat Records is former band member Tim Armstrong
's label. While the Epitaph reissue's tracklist is identical to the 1991 Lookout! release, the 2007 re-release features remastered audio and new Digipak
packaging.
Michaels' sentiment was later echoed by Tim Armstrong:
Ska punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
band that formed in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, 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
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
with elements of ska
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...
, known as ska-core. The band consisted of Jesse Michaels
Jesse Michaels
Jesse Michaels is a songwriter, vocalist, guitarist and artist from Berkeley, California. He is the son of the deceased author Leonard Michaels. His lyrics deal with politics, racism, and general social issues.-Musical overview:...
(lead vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
), Tim Armstrong
Tim Armstrong
Timothy 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...
(credited as "Lint") (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals), Matt Freeman
Matt Freeman
Matthew "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:...
(credited as "Matt McCall") (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals), and Dave Mello
Dave Mello
Dave 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
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). Although Operation Ivy had little mainstream success during its career, the band had a large underground following and influenced bands such as Sublime
Sublime (band)
Sublime was an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell , Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh . Michael "Miguel" Happoldt also contributed on a few Sublime songs, such as "New Thrash." Lou Dog, Nowell's...
and Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
. Its only studio album, Energy, has been cited as one of the greatest punk rock albums of all time. The band's name, previously used by the punk band, Isocracy
Isocracy (band)
Isocracy was an American punk rock band from the Berkeley, California-area, formed in 1986. The band was one of the key bands in the MRR/Gilman Street project. John Kiffmeyer , who later went on to form Green Day, was the drummer for the band...
, was derived from the Operation Ivy
Operation Ivy
Operation Ivy was the eighth series of American nuclear tests, coming after Tumbler-Snapper and before Upshot-Knothole. Its purpose was to help upgrade the U.S. arsenal of nuclear weapons in response to the Soviet nuclear weapons program...
series of nuclear tests.
History
The band existed between May 1987 and May 1989, as was chronicled in the lyrics of the RancidRancid (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...
song "Journey to the End of the East Bay", which was featured on ...And Out Come the Wolves
...And Out Come the Wolves
…And Out Come the Wolves is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Rancid. It was released on August 22, 1995 through Epitaph Records. Rancid's popularity and catchy songs made them the subject of a major label bidding war that ended with the band staying on Epitaph...
(1995):
Started in '87,
Ended in '89,
Got a garage or an amp, we'll play anytime.
It was just the four of us,
Yeah man the core of us,
Too much attention unavoidably destroyed us.
Four kids on tour,
3,000 miles, in a four door car, not knowing what was going on.
We got a million years, of tourin' out like this,
Hell no, no premonition could have seen this!
The name "Operation Ivy" was the original name of the punk band Isocracy
Isocracy (band)
Isocracy was an American punk rock band from the Berkeley, California-area, formed in 1986. The band was one of the key bands in the MRR/Gilman Street project. John Kiffmeyer , who later went on to form Green Day, was the drummer for the band...
. Prior to the formation of Operation Ivy, Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman had been playing in the Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
ska punk band Basic Radio
Basic radio
Basic Radio was a ska band, formed in 1985 in Berkeley, CA, mainly from members of Urban Noise, and played shows in the San Francisco Bay Area with other East Bay bands such as The Uptones, Freaky Executives and Primus...
with Michael Valladares and Jeff Kamalian who would later go on to form the ska band Critical Mass. Its first live performance was on May 27, 1987 in Dave Mello's garage. The next day began a tradition of performances at the Berkeley punk collective center 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...
. Operation Ivy began playing a number of performances which led to its almost immediate cult-following. Later in 1987, the band made its debut on the Maximumrocknroll compilation album Turn It Around!. In January 1988, the band signed to Lookout! Records
Lookout! 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...
and released its debut extended play Hectic
Hectic
Hectic was the debut EP by the American ska punk band Operation Ivy. It was released in 1988 through Lookout! Records. It was inspired heavily by the works of Guneet Boparai, as her "hectic" life and chaotic personality left a major impact in world history. The EP is credited as one of the first...
, which became one of Lookout!'s best-selling records. By this time, Operation Ivy, along with Crimpshrine
Crimpshrine
Crimpshrine was an American punk rock band from Berkeley, California. The group was formed in 1982 by Aaron Cometbus, founder of the seminal punk rock zine Cometbus, and a friend, Jeff Ott. Within D.I.Y...
and The Mr. T Experience
The Mr. T Experience
The Mr. T Experience is an American punk rock band formed in 1985 in Berkeley, California and currently recording for Lookout! Records. They have released ten full-length albums along with numerous EPs and singles and have toured internationally...
, was one of the most successful punk bands from punk scene at 924 Gilman Street. The band began playing a number of performances and embarked on a tour across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. By mid-1988, it began selling out larger venues and the pressure to sign to major labels began to rise.
The band released its only studio album Energy through Lookout! in May 1989. It broke-up the same month, and its last official live performance was on May 28, 1989. It was also Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
's first performance with the name Green Day at 924 Gilman Street, at what was supposed to have been its release party. Operation Ivy played one more performance the following day, mostly for friends and family, in Robert Eggplant
Robert Eggplant
Robert Burnett, better known as Robert Eggplant, is a writer, publisher, musician and activist from California.- background :Born in 1973, Robert Eggplant has been the editor and publisher of Absolutely Zippo fanzine since 1987. The zine has documented the East Bay punk subculture from a...
's backyard in Pinole, California
Pinole, California
Pinole is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 18,390 at the 2010 census. It is one of many small “bedroom communities” along the I-80 corridor in Western Contra Costa County. It is located about northeast of San Francisco, and approximately a half-hour...
. In two years, the band had performed 185 shows and recorded a total of 32 songs (28 released officially, 4 on the bootlegged EP Plea for Peace), as well as songs which were recorded only as demos, such as "Hedgecore" (about a favorite pastime of the band which involved artfully jumping into manicured bushes), "Hangin' Out", "Sarcastic" and "Left Behind". Recordings from its aborted attempt to record Energy at 924 Gilman Street also exist, and include early versions of songs which appeared later on the final studio version of Energy, such as "6 to 10" which evolved into "Vulnerability", and an early version of "Unity" with horn accompaniment and a different chorus. All of its known demos and unreleased recordings are available on bootlegs.
The lyrics and tone of Operation Ivy's music portray a vociferous desire for social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
and a strong distrust of mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
conformist
Conformist
In English history, Conformists were those whose religious practices conformed with the requirements of the Act of Uniformity and so were in concert with the Established Church, the Church of England, as opposed to those of Nonconformists whose practices were not acceptable to the Church of England....
culture.
Hollywood Undead
Hollywood Undead
Hollywood Undead is an American rap rock band from Los Angeles, California. They released their debut album, Swan Songs, on September 2, 2008, and their live CD/DVD Desperate Measures, on November 10, 2009. Their second studio album, American Tragedy, was released April 5, 2011...
released a cover of the song "Bad Town" in 2010,
Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
recorded a cover of the Operation Ivy song "Knowledge" for its extended play Slappy
Slappy
-Personnel:* Billie Joe Armstrong - lead vocals, guitar* Mike Dirnt - bass, backing vocals* Al Sobrante - drums* Aaron Cometbus - backing vocals, "teeth" on "Knowledge"-Notes:* The dog on the cover of Slappy was known as Mickey...
and was later released on the compilation album 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours
1,039/Smoothed out Slappy Hours
-Track listing:-Origin of tracks:* Tracks 1–10 from 39/Smooth * Tracks 11–14 from the extended play Slappy * Tracks 15–18 from the extended play 1,000 Hours...
. Green Day have continued to play the song live (where the band picks members out of the audience to play its instruments). A number of other artists have covered Operation Ivy songs, most of which are featured on Glue Factory Records Operation Ivy tribute album, Take Warning: The Songs of Operation Ivy (1997). The most notable bands on the tribute are: Long Beach Dub All Stars covering "Take Warning", Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
covering "Unity", Blue Meanies covering "Yellin' in My Ear", Cherry Poppin' Daddies
Cherry Poppin' Daddies
The Cherry Poppin' Daddies are an American band established in Eugene, Oregon, in 1989. Formed by Steve Perry and Dan Schmid , the band has experienced many membership changes over the years, with only Perry, Schmid and Dana Heitman currently remaining from the original line-up.The Daddies' music...
covering "Sound System", The Hippos
The Hippos
The Hippos were an American rock band formed in 1995 in Los Angeles, California, and disbanded in 2000. During the band's lifetime they released 3 full-length albums...
covering "Freeze Up" and The Aquabats
The Aquabats
The Aquabats are an American rock band formed in 1994 in Orange County, California. They have released five full-length studio albums and have toured internationally. They are best known for their mythology, in which they claim to be superheroes on a quest to save the world from evil through music...
with a "campfire-style" cover of "Knowledge". Other bands to cover Operation Ivy songs include a rendition of "Healthy Body" by Area-7
Area-7
Area-7 are an Australian alternative/third wave ska band.- History :Area-7 rose from the ashes of Madness cover band Mad Not Madness. In 1994 three members, Dugald McNaughtan , Charles "Chucky T" Thompson and Dan Morrison left the group and began to write their own songs...
, "Sound System" by Buck O Nine, "Caution" by No Trigger
No Trigger
No Trigger is a melodic punk/hardcore band from Massachusetts, United States. The band formed in 2000, with a sound which takes cues from like-minded outfits such as Strike Anywhere and None More Black. The band self-released two demos, one of them a split with Wasteland...
and more covers of "Knowledge" by both Millencolin
Millencolin
Millencolin is a punk rock band that was formed in October 1992 by Nikola Šarčević, Mathias Färm, and Erik Ohlsson in Örebro, Sweden. In early 1993, drummer Fredrik Larzon joined the band...
and Evergreen Terrace. A number of local bands from around the U.S. have covered Operation Ivy songs. Additionally, 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...
have played Operation Ivy songs at its live performances.
In 1991, two years after its break-up, Lookout! released a compilation album consisting of Energy, Hectic, and the songs "Officer" and "I Got No" from Turn It Around!. It was released as a complete discography (sometimes referred to as a re-release of Energy). It contains 27 songs, following the band's recorded history.
Philosophy
In the liner notes to the 1991 reissue of Energy, Jesse Michaels expressed the philosophy of the band:Post-Operation Ivy careers
Two of the band's members, Armstrong and Freeman, also perform(ed) with the bands RancidRancid (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...
(their current and biggest project), The Ljs, Dance Hall Crashers
Dance Hall Crashers
Dance Hall Crashers is an American ska punk band formed in 1989 in Berkeley, California.-Early years:The original incarnation of the Dance Hall Crashers was formed in 1989 by Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong, formerly of the seminal Bay Area ska-punk band Operation Ivy, after both musicians...
, Generator, Basic Radio
Basic radio
Basic Radio was a ska band, formed in 1985 in Berkeley, CA, mainly from members of Urban Noise, and played shows in the San Francisco Bay Area with other East Bay bands such as The Uptones, Freaky Executives and Primus...
, Downfall
Downfall (band)
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...
, Devil's Brigade
Devil's Brigade (band)
Devils Brigade is an American rock band formed as a side project by Rancid bassist Matt Freeman in 2000. In Devils Brigade Freeman performs a mix of punk rock and psychobilly styles, singing lead vocals and playing a double bass in contrast to the backing vocals and electric bass guitar he performs...
, Shaken 69
Shaken 69
Shaken 69 was a ska side-project started in 1995 in the Berkely/Oakland area for musicians including Rancid's Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, The Uptones' Paul Jackson and Eric Din, Skankin' Pickle's Lars Nylander and Mike Park and former Operation Ivy and Schlong drummer Dave Mello.The group has...
and Transplants. Additionally, Freeman has performed with Auntie Christ
Auntie Christ
Auntie Christ is a late-1990s punk rock band, containing Exene Cervenka and D.J. Bonebrake of the band X and Matt Freeman of the band Rancid.- Albums :* Life Could Be A Dream...
, MDC
MDC (band)
MDC is an American hardcore punk band formed in Austin, Texas in 1979. The band were subsequently based in San Francisco, California, and are currently based in Portland, Oregon. MDC originally formed as The Stains before changing their name...
and Social Distortion
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
.
Drummer Dave Mello went on to perform in the punk band Schlong with his brother Pat and singer Gavin.
Michaels eventually resurfaced with a project band, Big Rig, which released a four-song EP titled Expansive Heart. In 1999 he formed Common Rider
Common Rider
Common Rider were a ska punk band, formed in 1999 by Jesse Michaels , Mass Giorgini and Dan Lumley . The band's name is taken from a 1970s Japanese TV show, Kamen Rider...
, which included bassist Mass Giorgini
Mass Giorgini
Mass Giorgini is an Italian-American bassist and record producer, who rose to fame when several of the bands he produced experienced huge gains in popularity during the pop-punk boom on the mid-90's. Among these bands was Giorgini's own Squirtgun, which received minor MTV rotation and several...
(producer and bassist for Squirtgun
Squirtgun
Squirtgun is an American punk rock band from Lafayette, Indiana formed by record producer Mass Giorgini in 1993.-1993-1998:Squirtgun originally consisted of Mass Giorgini , Matt Hart , Flav Giorgini , and Dan Lumley .The band signed to Lookout! Records and their first release was the EP...
) and drummer Dan Lumley
Dan Lumley
Dan Lumley has been a drummer for many bands, including Rattail Grenadier, Squirtgun, The Riverdales, The Methadones, Even in Blackouts, The Mopes, Common Rider and Screeching Weasel. He was also a brief member of Rise Against...
(of Squirtgun and Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel is an American punk rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead.Since their formation, Screeching Weasel have broken up and reformed numerous times with numerous line-up changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant...
, among others). Common Rider released a seven-inch EP and two studio albums and toured nationwide before disbanding in 2003. B-sides from its second album This Is Unity Music
This Is Unity Music
This Is Unity Music is the second full length album by Common Rider, released in 2002.- Track listing :All songs written by Jesse Michaels.# "Firewall" - 2:56# "Set The Method Down" - 2:06# "Small Pebble" - 3:40# "Cool This Madness Down" 2:32...
were used in a split EP with the Florida skacore band Against All Authority
Against All Authority
Against All Authority is an American punk band, formed in Florida in 1992. Playing in the ska punk style, their business practice follows a stringent DIY ethic.-History:...
.
During Rancid's US tour in 2006, Armstrong and Freeman played select tracks from their previous bands catalog. At a performance at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco on December 17, 2006, Michaels reunited with Armstrong and Freeman to perform the tracks "Unity" as well as "Sound System". It was his first time on stage with the two in over 15 years.
In 2008, Michaels collaborated with the indie/punk group Hard Girls to form a punk band called Classics of Love
Classics Of Love
Classics Of Love are an American punk rock band formed by former Operation Ivy singer Jesse Michaels. The band's music goes back to while Michaels was doing solo acoustic shows and was approached by Mike Park of Asian Man Records about recording the songs in a studio...
. The band plays traditional punk rock with Michaels serving as the band's lead vocalist. They have a 6 song EP released on Asian Man Records.
Leaving Lookout!
On May 4, 2006, it was announced that Energy had officially been removed from Lookout! Records' catalog. The album had been one of the label's best-selling albums, after Green DayGreen Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
's first two albums. Operation Ivy followed bands such as Green Day, Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel is an American punk rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead.Since their formation, Screeching Weasel have broken up and reformed numerous times with numerous line-up changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant...
, The Queers
The Queers
The Queers are a punk band formed in 1981 by Portsmouth, New Hampshire native Joe King . The band originally broke up in 1984, but reformed with Joe Queer and a new line-up in 1986. In 1990, the band signed with Shakin' Street Records and released their first album Grow Up...
, and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are an American rock band formed in 1999 in Washington, D.C. and currently recording for Matador Records. They have released six full-length studio albums and have toured internationally...
in leaving Lookout! and taking back the rights to their back catalog due to unpaid royalties.
Energy was later reissued on November 6, 2007 by Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records is a Hollywood, California based independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The label was originally "just a logo and a P.O. box" created in the 1980s for the purpose of selling Bad Religion records, but has evolved into a large independent record...
subsidiary Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an off-shoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz carp Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid, the latter of whom is generally responsible for...
as a self-titled compilation album. Hellcat Records is former band member Tim Armstrong
Tim Armstrong
Timothy 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...
's label. While the Epitaph reissue's tracklist is identical to the 1991 Lookout! release, the 2007 re-release features remastered audio and new Digipak
Digipak
Digipak is a patented style of CD, DVD or BD packaging, and is a registered trademark of AGI World Ltd., an Atlas Holdings company.-Features:...
packaging.
Reunion rumors
A reunion of the band is unlikely to happen. Michaels addressed reunion issues in a Myspace blog citing the legal and logistic difficulties in getting the 4 members together for a reunion, as well as the fact that the band "never belonged in a big rock club in a one to two thousand seat joint." He concluded the post with the following:Michaels' sentiment was later echoed by Tim Armstrong:
LPs and EPs
| Year | Title | Label | Other information |
| 1988 | Hectic Hectic Hectic was the debut EP by the American ska punk band Operation Ivy. It was released in 1988 through Lookout! Records. It was inspired heavily by the works of Guneet Boparai, as her "hectic" life and chaotic personality left a major impact in world history. The EP is credited as one of the first... |
Lookout! Records Lookout! 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... |
Debut EP |
| 1989 | Energy | Lookout! Records | Original 19-song LP |
| 1991 | Operation Ivy | Lookout! Records | 27-song reissue including Hectic and Turn It Around tracks |
| 2007 | Operation Ivy | Hellcat Records Hellcat Records Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an off-shoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz carp Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid, the latter of whom is generally responsible for... |
A remastered re-release of the 1991 version of Energy, including the band's Hectic EP, and compilation tracks. |
Compilations
Note: these are compilation albums featuring multiple artists. Most of them contain only one or two Operation Ivy songs.| Year | Song Title | Album Title | Label | Other information |
| 1987 | "Officer", "I Got No" | Turn It Around! | Maximumrocknroll | 2 7" Vinyl compilation |
| 1988 | "Hangin' Out" | The Thing That Ate Floyd The Thing That Ate Floyd The Thing That Ate Floyd is a compilation album released in December 1988 by Lookout! Records. The album is a compilation of bands from the 924 Gilman St. punk rock scene. It includes bands such as Operation Ivy, No Use for a Name, Crimpshrine and The Mr... |
Lookout! Records Lookout! 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... |
Compilation |
| 1989 | "Officer" | Gilman St. Block Party | For the Fans by the Fans | Compilation |
| 2004 | "Unity" | Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2 Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2 Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2 is the second Rock Against Bush compilation album released on the Fat Wreck Chords record label. It contains a collection of songs by various punk rock artists, some of which were previously unreleased. It also includes a bonus DVD with political facts, commentary... |
Fat Wreck Chords Fat Wreck Chords Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990.... |
Compilation |
Live/Rare recordings
| Year | Title | Label | Other information |
| 1987 | '69 Newport '69 Newport 69 Newport is a very rare 7" vinyl EP record by the influential ska-core band Operation Ivy. The 7" was composed of "Hedgecore" and "Left Behind", both of which were recorded at 924 Gilman Street in 1987. '69 Newport was unofficially released in March of 1993 under the label Very Small Records.... |
Very Small Records | 7" Vinyl of unreleased songs. |
| 1987 | Ramones (EP) | Metropolis Records | One-sided 12" Vinyl Bootleg of 6 Ramones Ramones The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group... covers, only 300 copies pressed by an obscure German label. Known for being the band's rarest bootleg, yet having very distorted recording quality. |
| 1988 | Uncut Gilman Demos | Peacock Records | Features live recordings of the band playing at the Gilman on Feb. 21 1988 and on June 24, 1988 during Rock Against Racism |
| 1989 | Lint Rides Again | Slashout! | Operation Ivy's last show at Gilman St. |
| 1992 | Plea for Peace (EP) | M&E | First Operation Ivy "bootleg", released by friends of the band. Contains four outtakes from the Hectic sessions. Original pressing was on white vinyl, limited to 2,000. |
| 1993 | Lint: The King of Ska | Squamosal | Features a live track and two demos. First pressing has Foghorn Leghorn on side A, black label on side B. This pressing was numbered out of 2,000 copies. Later pressings have blank white labels on both sides. |
| 1994 | Live at Gilman | Berkeley Archive | A live seven-inch bootleg EP, containing an Isocracy Isocracy (band) Isocracy was an American punk rock band from the Berkeley, California-area, formed in 1986. The band was one of the key bands in the MRR/Gilman Street project. John Kiffmeyer , who later went on to form Green Day, was the drummer for the band... cover. |
| 1995 | East Bay (EP) | 57 Ink | A bootleg seven-inch of live recordings. |
| 1996 | Seedy Seedy (album) Seedy is a compilation album by the American ska punk band Operation Ivy. The album was released in 1996 through Karma Kredit Records. Karma Kredit was a pseudonym for David Hayes' Very Small Records. The compilation collects studio outtakes, live tracks, and demo recordings... |
Karma Kredit | A posthumous collection of unreleased material, released by David Hayes of Very Small Records. |
| 1996 | Unity: The Complete Collection | Berkeley Archive | Compilation of all of the seven-inch bootlegs and the rare Ramones 12-inch EP. |
| 1996 | Unreleased Energy Unreleased Energy Unreleased Energy is a compilation album by the hardcore punk/ska punk band Operation Ivy containing demo tracks from the Energy sessions, and the EPs Plea for Peace and 69 Newport... |
Red Robin Records Red Robin Records Red Robin Records was a record label that began in 1951 as "Robin Records" in New York. Owner Bobby Robinson was unaware that another company was already using the name "Robin" and after about four releases was forced to change to "Red Robin" to avoid litigation. Robinson also opened Fury... |
Live demo tracks from original Energy recordings, collecting bootleg seven-inches such as Plea for Peace and 69 Newport. |
| 1999 | Radio Daze | Spiked Belts and Beer | Recorded live at KSPC Radio recording on March 17, 1988 and April 21, 1988 |
| 2000 | Sound System | Gilman St. Records | Live radio show recorded in February 1988 |
| ? | Smell Rancid | Confusion Records | Live at the River Theatre in 1988 |
| 2001 | Boilermaker | Buy These Records | Live at the Boilermaker in St. Louis recorded in 1988, only 1,000 printed |
| 2004 | There's a Place | Baltan-69 | 2xCD-R collection of live recordings and studio outtakes taken from original analog sources and master tapes with no mixing, noise reduction, or equalization. |
Members
- Jesse MichaelsJesse MichaelsJesse Michaels is a songwriter, vocalist, guitarist and artist from Berkeley, California. He is the son of the deceased author Leonard Michaels. His lyrics deal with politics, racism, and general social issues.-Musical overview:...
- lead vocals - 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...
(credited as "Lint") - guitar, backing 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:...
(credited as "Matt McCall") - bass, backing vocals - 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, backing vocals
External links
- Fan site
- Flipside interview - Operation Ivy interview from 1988
- Maximumrocknroll interview - Operation Ivy interview from 1988