| Operation Ivy | |
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 Operation Ivy performing at the legendary Gilman
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Berkeley, California, USA |
| Genre(s) | Ska punk |
| Years active | 1987–1989 |
| Label(s) | Lookout! Records, Hellcat Records |
| Associated acts | Rancid Transplants Downfall Big Rig Common Rider Isocracy Green Day Dance Hall Crashers Basic Radio Shaken 69 |
| Former members | |
| Jesse Michaels Tim Armstrong Matt Freeman Dave Mello Pat Mello (unofficial 5th member)] |
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Operation Ivy was an influential ska punk band formed in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Berkeley is a city on the east shore of San Francisco Bay in Northern California, in the United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Ska punk is a fusion Music genre that combines Ska and Punk rock. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Lookout! Records is an Independent record label based in Berkeley California. Hellcat Records is an independent Record label based in Los Angeles California. Rancid is a punk band formed in 1991 in Albany California, by Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong. Transplants are an American Punk rock / Hip-hop supergroup. They formed in 1999 when Tim Armstrong of the 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 Big Rig was a punk band from the San Francisco Bay Area fronted by singer/songwriter Jesse Michaels Common Rider were a Ska punk band formed in 1999 by Jesse Michaels (guitar vocals Mass Giorgini (bass and Dan Lumley (drums Isocracy was a Punk rock band from the United States Berkeley -area formed in 1986 Green Day is an American rock trio Dance Hall Crashers (often abbreviated to " DHC " is a Ska punk band from Berkeley California, that formed in 1988. 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 Shaken 69 was a Ska side-project for musicians including Rancid 's Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, The Uptones ' Paul Jackson and Jesse Michaels (born April 2, 1969) is a Songwriter, Guitarist and Artist from Berkeley California 's East Bay Timothy Lockwood Armstrong (born November 25, 1966) is an influential American musician and songwriter best known for his work with Punk rock Matthew "McCall" Freeman (born Roger Matthew Freeman on June 14 1966) is an American musician Dave Mello was the drummer of the punk / Ska band Operation Ivy. Ska punk is a fusion Music genre that combines Ska and Punk rock. The East Bay is a subregion of the San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States and comprises Alameda and Contra Costa Counties The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, or the Bay, is a geographically and ethnically diverse metropolitan region that surrounds the The band consisted of frontman Jesse Michaels (vocals), Tim Armstrong (credited as "Lint") (vocals/guitar), Matt Freeman (credited as Matt McCall) (bass/backing vocals), and Dave Mello (Drums/backing vocals). The lead vocalist (or lead singer) is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song Jesse Michaels (born April 2, 1969) is a Songwriter, Guitarist and Artist from Berkeley California 's East Bay Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with Speech. Timothy Lockwood Armstrong (born November 25, 1966) is an influential American musician and songwriter best known for his work with Punk rock In general the term credit in the artistic or intellectual sense refers to an acknowledgement of those who contributed to a work whether through ideas or in a more direct sense Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with Speech. The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles Matthew "McCall" Freeman (born Roger Matthew Freeman on June 14 1966) is an American musician The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the A backing vocalist or backing singer (or especially in the US Dave Mello was the drummer of the punk / Ska band Operation Ivy. A drum kit (also drum set or trap set) is a collection of Drums Cymbals and sometimes other Percussion instruments such as cowbells A backing vocalist or backing singer (or especially in the US The band's name, previously abandoned by another Gilman group, Isocracy, was derived from the Operation Ivy series of nuclear tests. Isocracy was a Punk rock band from the United States Berkeley -area formed in 1986 Operation Ivy was the eighth series of American nuclear tests, coming after Tumbler-Snapper and before Upshot-Knothole. Nuclear weapons tests are experiments carried out to determine the effectiveness yield and explosive capability of Nuclear weapons Throughout the twentieth century most nations [1]
Contents |
History
The band existed between May of 1987 and May of 1989, as was chronicled in the lyrics of the Rancid song "Journey to the End of East Bay", which appeared on Rancid's ...And Out Come the Wolves:
Started in '87, Ended in '89, You got a garage, or an amp we'll play anytime. See also Musical groups established in 1987 Record labels established in 1987 Events This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989 Rancid is a punk band formed in 1991 in Albany California, by Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong. It was just the four of us, Yeah man, the core of us, Too much attention unavoidably destroyed us. [2]
Their first show was performed on May 16, 1987 in Dave Mello's garage. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) The next day began a tradition of performances at the Berkeley ska/punk collective center 924 Gilman Street. Ska ( pronounced /ska/ or in Jamaican Patois /skja/ is a Music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and which was the precursor The 924 Gilman Street project alternately the Alternative Music Foundation, is the Berkeley California street address and They began playing a lot of gigs which led to their almost immediate cult-following. Later in 1987 they made their debut on a Maximum Rock'n'Roll compilation called Turn it Around. In January 1988, they signed to Lookout! Records, and released Hectic, their first E.P., which became one of Lookout!'s strongest sellers. This is a list of notable events in Music that took place in the year 1988. Lookout! Records is an Independent record label based in Berkeley California. Hectic was the debut EP by the seminal Ska-core band Operation Ivy. An extended play ( EP) is a Vinyl record, CD, or Music download which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify By this time, Operation Ivy (along with Crimpshrine and The Mr. T Experience) was one of the most popular Gilman/Berkeley Punk bands. Crimpshrine was a Punk rock band from Berkeley California, United States. The Mr T Experience (sometimes abbreviated MTX) is an American Punk rock band formed in 1985 in Berkeley California and currently They began getting many gigs and set out on a tour across the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the By mid-1988, they began selling out larger venues and the pressure to sign to major labels began to rise.
They released the album Energy on Lookout! Records in May 1989. Energy Lookout! Records is an Independent record label based in Berkeley California. The band broke up the same month, and their last official show was on May 28, 1989. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling It was also Green Day's first show with the name "Green Day" at Gilman, at what was supposed to have been their release party. Green Day is an American rock trio They played one more show the following day, mainly for friends and family, in Robert Eggplant's backyard in Pinole, California. Robert Burnett, better known as Robert Eggplant, is a writer publisher musician and activist from California California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. In two years, the band had performed 185 shows and recorded a total of 32 songs (28 released officially, 4 on the bootlegged Plea For Peace EP), as well as songs which were recorded only as demos, such as "Hedgecore" (about a favorite pastime of the band which involved artfully jumping over manicured bushes), "Hangin' Out", "Sarcastic" and "Left Behind". Recordings from their aborted attempt to record the Energy LP live at Gilman also exist, and include some 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 their 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. Social justice, sometimes called civil justice, refers to the concept of a Society in which Justice is achieved in every aspect of society rather than Mainstream is generally the common current of Thought of the Majority. In English history, Conformists were those whose religious practices conformed with the requirements of the Act of Uniformity and so were in concert
Green Day did a cover of the Operation Ivy song "Knowledge" on the 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours compilation and have continued to play the song live. Green Day is an American rock trio Several other artists have covered Operation Ivy songs, many of which are included on Glue Factory Records' 1997 Operation Ivy tribute album, titled Take Warning: The Songs of Operation Ivy. The most notable bands on this tribute are: Reel Big Fish covering "Unity" (track 2), Blue Meanies covering "Yellin' In My Ear" (track 5), Cherry Poppin' Daddies covering "Sound System" (track 6), The Hippos covering "Freeze Up" (track 10) and The Aquabats with a campfire-style cover of "Knowledge" (track 13). Reel Big Fish is an American Ska punk band from Huntington Beach California, best known for the 1997 hit " Sell Out. Blue Meanies were an American Ska-core band founded in Carbondale Illinois, at Southern Illinois University, in 1989. The Cherry Poppin' Daddies are an American rock band formed in 1989 in Eugene, Oregon. The Hippos were an American rock band formed in 1995 in Los Angeles California and disbanded in 2000. The Aquabats (often written as The Aquabats!) are an American rock band formed in 1994 in Huntington Beach California and currently recording Other bands to cover Operation Ivy songs include a rendition of "Healthy Body" by Area-7, "Sound System" by Big D and the Kids Table, "Caution" by No Trigger and more covers of "Knowledge" by both Millencolin and Evergreen Terrace (band). Area-7 (also known as Area 7) is the name of an Australian alternative / Third wave ska band Big D and the Kids Table is a Third wave ska band formed in October 1995 in Allston Massachusetts when its members converged in college No Trigger is a melodic punk / hardcore band from Massachusetts, United States. Millencolin is a Punk Evergreen Terrace is a five-piece Melodic hardcore band out of Jacksonville Florida. Many local bands from around the country are keeping the spirit of 87' alive, covering Operation Ivy songs. Additionally, it is not uncommon for Rancid to play a few Operation Ivy songs at their shows. Rancid is a punk band formed in 1991 in Albany California, by Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong.
In 1991, two years after their breakup, Lookout! put together a compilation consisting of the Energy album, the Hectic EP, and songs from compilations. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Lookout! Records is an Independent record label based in Berkeley California. Hectic was the debut EP by the seminal Ska-core band Operation Ivy. It was released as a complete discography (sometimes referred to as a re-release of the Energy album). Energy It contains 27 songs, following the band's recorded history.
Post-Operation Ivy careers
Two of the band's members, Armstrong and Freeman, also perform(ed) with the bands Rancid (their current and biggest project), Dance Hall Crashers, Basic Radio, Downfall, Devil's Brigade, Shaken 69 and Transplants. Rancid is a punk band formed in 1991 in Albany California, by Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong. Dance Hall Crashers (often abbreviated to " DHC " is a Ska punk band from Berkeley California, that formed in 1988. 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 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 Devil's Brigade is a Psychobilly band and side project formed by Matt Freeman of Rancid fame Shaken 69 was a Ska side-project for musicians including Rancid 's Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, The Uptones ' Paul Jackson and Transplants are an American Punk rock / Hip-hop supergroup. They formed in 1999 when Tim Armstrong of the band Additionally, Freeman has performed with Auntie Christ, Generator, MDC and Social Distortion. Auntie Christ is a late-1990's Punk rock band containing Exene Cervenka (of the seminal band X) and Matt Freeman of the band Rancid MDC is an American Hardcore punk band formed in Austin, Texas in 1979. Social Distortion (sometimes referred to simply as Social D) is an American Punk rock band formed in 1978
Mello went on to perform with Schlong, and currently The Bowel-Tones and Jewdriver.
There was a great deal of speculation regarding the fate of Michaels. He revealed in an interview that he became a Buddhist monk for about 6 months in 1992 [1]. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices MONK is a Monte Carlo software package for simulating nuclear processes particularly for the purpose of determining the neutron multiplication factor or k-effective Legend had it that he had moved to Nicaragua. Nicaragua (ˌnɪkəˈrɑgwə officially the Republic of Nicaragua () is a representative democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America Michaels eventually resurfaced into the music world with a project band, Big Rig who only released a 4 song EP titled Expansive Heart, and later with a more active band, Common Rider, which included bassist Mass Giorgini (producer and bassist for Squirtgun and occasionally Screeching Weasel) and drummer Dan Lumley (of Squirtgun and Screeching Weasel). Big Rig was a punk band from the San Francisco Bay Area fronted by singer/songwriter Jesse Michaels Common Rider were a Ska punk band formed in 1999 by Jesse Michaels (guitar vocals Mass Giorgini (bass and Dan Lumley (drums Mass Giorgini (born Massimiliano Adelmo Giorgini in 1968 is an Italian-American Bassist and Record producer, currently playing with Squirtgun. Squirtgun was a band formed by producer Mass Giorgini in 1994 and was made up of former members of his recently disbanded Rattail Grenadier Screeching Weasel was an American punk band from Chicago, Illinois. Dan Lumley has been a drummer for many bands including Rattail Grenadier, Squirtgun, The Riverdales, The Methadones, Even in Blackouts Common Rider released a 7" EP and two full-length albums and did some nationwide touring in the United States before eventually disbanding. There were slight plans for a third album, but it never came to fruition. B-sides from their second album This Is Unity Music were used in a split EP with the Florida Skacore band Against All Authority. Against All Authority (often abbreviated -AAA-) is a DIY Ska punk band
During Rancid's 2006 US tour, Operation Ivy alumni Armstrong and Freeman were playing a select few tracks from their previous bands catalog. At a stop in San Francisco on December 17th, Jesse Michaels reunited with his two former bandmates to perform the track "Unity. " It was his first time on stage with the two in over 15 years. [3]
Leaving Lookout!
On 4 May 2006, it was announced that Energy had officially been removed from Lookout! Records' catalog. Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Energy Lookout! Records is an Independent record label based in Berkeley California. The album had been, after Green Day's first two albums, the label's biggest-selling album. Green Day is an American rock trio Following such bands as Green Day, Screeching Weasel, The Queers and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Operation Ivy is the latest in a series of bands who have left Lookout! in recent years and taken back the rights to their back catalog due to unpaid royalties [2]. Green Day is an American rock trio Screeching Weasel was an American punk band from Chicago, Illinois. The Queers are an American Pop punk band formed in 1982 by Portsmouth New Hampshire native Joe King (A Ted Leo and the Pharmacists (sometimes written Ted Leo/Pharmacists, Ted Leo + Pharmacists, or TL/Rx) are an American rock band
Energy was later reissued on November 6, 2007 by Epitaph Records subsidiary Hellcat Records as a self-titled compilation album. Energy Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Epitaph Records is a Hollywood California based Record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. Hellcat Records is an independent Record label based in Los Angeles California. Hellcat Records is former band member Tim Armstrong's label. Hellcat Records is an independent Record label based in Los Angeles California. Timothy Lockwood Armstrong (born November 25, 1966) is an influential American musician and songwriter best known for his work with Punk rock While the Epitaph reissue's tracklist is identical to the 1991 Lookout! release, the 2007 re-release features remastered audio and new Digipak packaging. Digipak is a patented style of Compact disc or DVD packaging and is a registered Trademark of AGI Media a MeadWestvaco Inc
A reunion of the band is not planned for anytime in the future. Michaels addressed reunion issues in a Myspace blog[4] 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:
| “ | [Will] it happen? The most honest answer is probably not. " | ” |
Discography
LPs and EPs
| Year | Title | Label | Other information |
| 1988 | Hectic | Lookout! Records | Debut EP |
| 1989 | Energy | Lookout! Records | Original 19-song LP |
| 1991 | Energy | Lookout! Records | 27-song reissue including "Hectic" and "Turn it Around" tracks |
| 1992 | Plea for Peace | M & E Records | Posthumous EP, featuring Uncertain, Troublebound, Someday, and Plea for Peace |
| 2007 | Operation Ivy | Hellcat Records | A remastered reissue of 1991 "Energy" album |
Compilations
Note: these are compilation albums featuring multiple artists. Hectic was the debut EP by the seminal Ska-core band Operation Ivy. Lookout! Records is an Independent record label based in Berkeley California. Energy Lookout! Records is an Independent record label based in Berkeley California. Energy Lookout! Records is an Independent record label based in Berkeley California. Plea for Peace is the final 7" EP from the punk band Operation Ivy. Hellcat Records is an independent Record label based in Los Angeles California. 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 | Maximum Rocknroll | 2 7" Vinyl compilation |
| 1988 | "Hangin' Out" | The Thing That Ate Floyd | Lookout! Records | Compilation |
| ? | "Officer" | Gilman St. A compilation album is an Album ( Music or Spoken-word) featuring tracks from one or multiple Recording artists, often culled from a variety of Lookout! Records is an Independent record label based in Berkeley California. A compilation album is an Album ( Music or Spoken-word) featuring tracks from one or multiple Recording artists, often culled from a variety of Block Party | For the Fans by the Fans | Compilation |
| 2004 | "Unity" | Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2 | Fat Wreck Chords | Compilation |
Live/Rare Recordings
| Year | Title | Label | Other information |
| ? | Unreleased Energy | Red Robin Records | Live demo tracks from original Energy LP recordings, collecting some bootleg 7-inches such as Plea For Peace and 69 Newport. A compilation album is an Album ( Music or Spoken-word) featuring tracks from one or multiple Recording artists, often culled from a variety of Rock Against Bush Vol 2 is the second Rock Against Bush Compilation album released on the Fat Wreck Chords Record label. Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based Independent record label, focused on Punk rock, which was started by Fat Mike A compilation album is an Album ( Music or Spoken-word) featuring tracks from one or multiple Recording artists, often culled from a variety of Unreleased Energy is a compilation album by the Hardcore punk group Operation Ivy containing live demo tracks from original Energy LP recordings collecting Red Robin Records was a Record label that began in 1951 as "Robin Records" in New York. |
| 1987 | '69 Newport | Very Small Records | 7" Vinyl of unreleased songs. |
| 1987 | Ramones EP | Metropolis Records | One-sided 12" Vinyl Bootleg of 6 Ramones covers, only 500 copies pressed by an obscure German label. The Ramones were an American rock band often regarded as the first Punk rock group Notorious for being the rarest bootleg, yet having repulsive recording quality. |
| 1989 | Lint Rides Again | Slashout! | Operation Ivy's last show at Gilman St. |
| 1992 | Plea for Peace EP | Fanclub | First Operation Ivy "Bootleg," put out by friends of the band. Contains four outtakes from the "Hectic" sessions. |
| 1993 | Lint: The King of Ska | Squamosal | This features a live track and two demos. First pressing has Foghorn Leghorn on side A, black label on side B. Later pressings have blank white labels on both sides. |
| 1994 | Live at Gilman | Berkeley Archive | A live 7" bootleg EP, containing an Isocracy cover. An isocracy is a form of government where all citizens have equal political power |
| 1995 | East Bay EP | 57 Ink | A bootleg 7" of live recordings. |
| 1996 | Seedy | 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 several 7" Bootlegs and the rare Ramones EP 12". |
| 1999 | Radio Daze | Spiked Belts and Beer | Live KSPC Radio recording from March 17, 1988 and April 21, 1988 |
| 2000 | Sound System | Gilman St. Records | Live Radio Show recording, Feb. 1988 |
| ? | Smell Rancid | Confusion Records | Live at the River Theatre, 1988 recordings |
| 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 Michaels vocals
- Tim Armstrong (Lint), guitar, lyrics and vocals
- Matt Freeman (Matt McCall), bass and vocals
- Dave Mello drums and vocals
References
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ivy
- ^ Rancid. Jesse Michaels (born April 2, 1969) is a Songwriter, Guitarist and Artist from Berkeley California 's East Bay Timothy Lockwood Armstrong (born November 25, 1966) is an influential American musician and songwriter best known for his work with Punk rock Matthew "McCall" Freeman (born Roger Matthew Freeman on June 14 1966) is an American musician Dave Mello was the drummer of the punk / Ska band Operation Ivy. "Journey to the End of East Bay. " . . . And Out Come the Wolves. Epitaph, 1995.
- ^ http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/16268081.htm
- ^ "Jesse Michaels addresses Common Rider and Operation Ivy reunion questions." Punknews.org. Punknewsorg is a website founded by Aubin Paul which launched in 1999. February 17, 2007. Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
External links
- Operation Ivy discography at MusicBrainz
- Fan Site
- Flipside Interview - Operation Ivy interview from 1988
- Maximumrocknroll Interview - Operation Ivy interview from 1988
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