In my senior year of high school I was in a band called "Primitive Love" with Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman. Believe it or not, the sound was Psychobilly/Ska/Electronic. I "played" drum machine & synthesizer, and our first (and only) gig at Ruthie's Inn (in Berkeley California) was a disaster, due to the sound man having no clue how to mix the show. The band broke up the day after the gig, and Tim & Matt formed Basic Radio a week later. Oh, and my best friend in high school was responsible for giving Tim the "Lint" nickname (we were all hanging out at some park in Berkeley one night with nothing to do, drinking 40's, and my friend told Tim "I'm calling you Lint from now on" - somehow it stuck).
@@PhilosophyCat There *were* tapes made - but sadly (if i ever even had one) they're long since lost. Maybe one of the other band members kept a copy, but i doubt it.
nobody made punk more danceable than op-ivy. they were a dance band that happened to be punk & ska. they took the upstroke, shuffle, and danceability of SKA and Punked it out all distorted. shit was magic.
I'm a 52 year old dude from SoCal that grew up going to first hand Ill Repute, Agression, Circle Jerks, Stalag 13 shows. Op Ivy is absolutely the bridge between Punk and Ska. There was NO bands meshing the two genres at the time, ZERO.
Me and my homie kicked it around Huntington on 2005. Coming from NJ it was crazy seeing a punk or 2 every here and there. So many infact we heard back in the 80's it really was like that episode of 21 Jump St. where a van would pull up and a gang of punks would jump out to bang on another crew. F'N wild!
Matt's bass playing has always been my favorite thing about op ivy and rancid. Completely different from any other punk bassist, especially for the time. Wonderful stuff!
Dude I feel the exact same way. Jack Bruce was one of Matt's biggest influences. He doesn't look at the bass as just a rhythm/play with the drums type of thing......He mashes hard with a flourish that gives me chills every time I hear it.
He's def awesome, but Lars and Tim have really interesting guitar playing that give a lot of unique sound, let alone Time songwriting. Tim has stated blues and bluegrass influence his playing, and he tries to learn a lot of various genres which I believe Matt does too - which is a common thing with many standout musicians/songwriters.
@@hi_tech_reptiles oh yeah I for sure love the guitar interplay between Tim and Lars, it's a band that has a lot going on outside of the usual punk sound and every member of the band contributes equally to the overall result. Perfect "whole greater than the sum of its parts"
My teen years were back in the early 90s and I discovered Operation Ivy back in 92. I remember me and my friends joking about how late to the party we were only finding out about them 3 years after they broke up. I can't believe people are still discovering and loving them to this day!
49 year old her from Arizona. There is no band that ever existed that had more an effect on my life than OI. I still spin it every now and then and have passed it on to my kids. It was a moment in time that they captured like gold.
The songwriting was outstanding for such young kids. The fact that they stayed independent helped to make them one of the most beloved punk bands in history. Fans want to know that what they’re supporting is true Art, not some lame entertainment (like WWE wrestling).
Second that. Not sure what you have against professional wrestling, but your point was made without that little jab. Art is subjective, and if someone finds meaning from WWE, why would you put it down? John Cena, for example, has completed over 500 “Make a Wish” wishes. Do you think the children dying of cancer that idolized John deserve to be put down for liking “lame entertainment”?. Grow up, stop feeding your own ego, and arrogance.
There was this really old mathematician named Todd at my first job, it was at a prestigious university and we did research on how to help struggling elementary students in school. I walked into Todd’s office one day and he is just blaring OPT IVY. Todd was my dude after that
Favourite Op Iv track for me is "The Crowd". I discovered Op Iv in my early twenties, and while I'm very grateful for my friend who recommended the band to me, a big part of me also wishes that I've known about them during my teenage years. See, "The Crowd" was the kind of song I tried to write when I was a teen sitting in my room strumming my guitar. And hearing that song, listening to those lyrics, it was like "Yes! Yes! This is what I've been trying to say, only way, way better!" Some other faves are Vulnerability, Bad Town, Jaded, Knowledge, and Unity.
The lyrics on that record are so inspired. Wrenched into the world. Deanaesthatised, blurry images fit their way through halfway open eyes. Wakened by alarm fifteen minutes of hygiene, twenty minutes eating fifteen seconds to the door. That was in my head every day of my senior year.
There are three bands I think.of when you think short yet impactful band who's members went to to be scene legends. The obvious two are Minor Threat and Op Ivy. The third is Slapstick. The Op Ivy of ska skate punk. The family tree that eventually gave the world Alkaline Trio and The Lawence Arms. That discography album is still in my regular rotation in 2021.
Jesse lived in my apt complex in Boca Raton in 96 and was the nicest dude to me when I relocated there at 18 years old, he made a tremendous impact on me.
This album has the best breakdowns (if that’s what you call em) . In my top 5 favorite albums of all genres . The lyrics are top notch . Healthy body sick mind favorite song
Operation Ivy is everything that you claim and more. In my opinion, Rancid is one of the most under-rated bands of all time. They don't get enough credit for being great at so many different styles of music: ska, punk, hardcore punk, pop punk,.... how they seamlessly weave all the styles together, nor do they get credit for their vast library of music. Every album they've put out is quite good and 'Out Come The Wolves' could be one of the best albums ever, of any genre. Freeman, Armstrong and Frederickson have created something truly great in Rancid.
@@arejaycee5484 There's definitely some truth to that, but if you look into it, most great bands started out copying some other band. The trick is for the band to grow past their initial influence into something truly great. That's why I consider Rancid on par with The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Parlament/Funkadelic, Sly and the family Stone, Clash, Bob Marley and the Wailers, George Strait, Ike & Tina Turner, NWA, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Metallica, Black Sabbath,.... One of the all time greats.
53, I was fortunate to see Op Ivy multiple times. Gilman, Berkeley Square, Scotts house, Eggplants. Some other place with a foosball table in Oakland. IDK.... What I can say is I am so happy I was there. I was military in the Bay Area at the time. I signed up from middle America to get to where DK, Flipper, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, 7 Seconds were. I ended up at Gilman where most of those bands play a few shows...but I became friends with Crimpshrine...and was able to see Isocracy, Blatz, Lookouts, Sweet Baby Jesus, Filth, and so many more... Yes...Op Ivy were the hero's of punk and ska...they were the right band at the right place at the right time. Hence they broke up the night their record was released (one more private show at Eggplants) and that was it.
Thank you for making this. So many later millennials and generations after don't even know Op Ivy, let alone their incredibly important impact on the scene.
Take warning is my favorite Operation Ivy song definitely. There is no ska punk without operation ivy. Just bad Brains switching back forth from punk to reggae.
@@thepunkhistorian6397 have you ever covered Andrenalin OD? AOD is a band that I think many/most younger generation don't realize the influence they had on hardcore from the mid-80s to around 90. I know NOFX will talk about all these bands that influenced them (including OPIV), but for the most part, NOFX was already an established band or contemporary at the very least of most the bands they mention... the one I never hear mentioned is AOD, and I know for a fact AOD was an early influence of NOFX. SNFU is also a band that doesn't get the props that they deserve.... "...and No One Wanted To Play" had a significant impact on the mid to late 80s punk scene.
@@unlvrebelx I’m not super familiar with AOD. Though I’ve definitely listened to them before. Mentioned SNFU in the skate punk vid. I like them for sure but I’ve only really sat down with a couple of their records
Listen to AOD's Wacky Hijinks album, then try to find another band from 1984 that had a comparable sound...then Humgoufungusamonus from 1986... I really think it'll surprise you how much these guys were pioneers with their sound & style...definitely not your typical East coast sounding band. AOD had a major impact & influenced a lot of bands in the west coast punk scene. Nice Song in the Key of D should be a staple song for every punk th-cam.com/video/bog-5hQKgcw/w-d-xo.html
Wow what a great video! I've not listened to Operation Ivy for 20 years and randomly looked them up today and came across your piece! Cheers for that, it's awesome!!!
Thank you for mentioning David Hayes. He was a HUGE part of the East Bay scene. He would later release David Mello's band Schlong on Very Small/Too Many Records.
Great content! I’m a 42 yr old Pacific Islander, and the whole subculture brought me to life. I discovered OP and the whole scene when I was 15 in the mid 90s, and op ivy perfectly brought voice to my island heritage and ironically optimistic rage. They were some of the first musicians I’d heard who had a philosophy that I identified with.
I appreciate your humble approach to the topic. It brings me joy to see younger people still being into punk rock and actually understanding what the movement was about. Just like every subculture, punk rock has become commercialized & most of it has become nothing but a fashion statement, which really isn't a statement anymore. We're in the middle of a 2nd Civil Rights Movement and people like us need to be a part of smashing the fascists and tearing down injustices in this world. Of coarse you can only do so much as an individual, but every voice does matter!
When you mentioned Gilman street it reminded me of christ on parade one of the best and most underrated bands around at that time. Please do a video on them. Thank you.
Great channel mate! As I am (only) 40 now I missed out on OpIv at the time but was bang in to the bands that they influenced so always understood their place in the annals of ska/punk history. When I was younger I preferred a more polished production a la RBF, LTJ etc, but still skanked out to Sound System and Knowledge when it came on in the club. Certified bangers!
Great vid! I'm actually into crust punk, but started out with pop punk back in grade school and middle school in the 90s. Op Ivy was always one of my favorites. I don't hate ska, but I'm not into it either (don't own any albums, can't name any bands). What I love about Op Ivy is their songwriting, their great melodies, the energy (ha!) and conviction they play with, and of course their incredible, brilliant lyrics and awesome social commentary and anti-war message. Of the pop punk bands I still listen to, Op Ivy is the only one I reach for with any regularity. As a side note, my two-year-old son also loves Op Ivy and can already recite the lyrics and sing along to Unity. I call it a win.
Love Op Ivy. One of my all time favorites. I'll say, though, that Fishbone deserves credit for their part in creating modern ska-punk and influencing a ton of bands who were also the foundation of the early ska-punk.
First heard them on the Turn It Around double 7" comp. Ordered their 7" and LP from Blacklist Mailorder when I was a teen. Another great band from that timeframe is Crimpshrine.
Cool video! Thanks for making it! I used to play drums and do some vocals in a punk band. We had a few ska punk songs. As a drummer I do enjoy playing those types of beats.
Lifelong Op Ivy fan. Even met David Mello at a show our bands both played at once. But there’s so little documented about them. Thanks for the education and helping fill in some gaps. What a gift!!
Your channel is a fucking godsend! So far, the RKL video is my favorite, because not many people talk about that band! Also, we both have a deep love for Strung Out, astrolux tattoo and all!
I’ll talk about them in a video about Jesse Michael’s other bands eventually. He had this other band called Classics of Love too that I used to really like growing up. I know he’s had a few other projects as well over the years.
Hahaha I was listening to this album while strolling through the city, and then all of a sudden I stumbled upon this awesome video..... Hoping to to watch more!!... Cheers my droog!!
One of my favorite bands of all time. On a super random note, there was probably some people that were too lazy to go see op ivy's last show and missed their chance forever.
I never really gave a damn about ska or the like until someone got me to listen to Operation Ivy. I absolutely love what little music they released when they were around, I’ve listened to Energy tons of times and every single song on that album is fantastic. They also kinda dragged me into the whole ska punk thing, which I’ve been getting into recently.
@@arejaycee5484 Yeah of course, I always liked The Clash's stuff because I heard it on the radio a lot as a kid. However, I didn't really register them in my brain as being ska punk until I got into the genre, and that's when I went further into their discography as well.
I would love to see you do a history of another great East Bay punk band the mighty Crimpshrine. Jughead s basement podcast did an excellent history on them some years ago. The best!
Op Ivy was revolutionary for me as a kid in the late 90s. They played a song on my 5-star mix literally today. Room without a window. Can't see out, can't see out. Sound system gonna pick me back up. Then follow it up with some fresh Interrupters.
I enjoy and applaud your persicion on the time lines, through most of your videos, I am often like, " I remember when my certain set of friends were into them...." While I was into something completely different, for this window of time , I was all in on Skinny Puppy. PLEASE KEEP POSTING! PLEASE KEEP UP THE RESEARCH. I would enjoy/ love a history of Rudimentary Peni. I was there when the singles and Death Church were new! Also, a video of how / why Punk seemed to have the largest audience in Southern California, English Bands would come to the states, play clubs. But in Los Angeles they could headline the Olympic Auditorium ( early 80's - 5000 capacity building)
This is one of my favs of all time. Yelling in my eye was a song I happened to come across at a very young age and was impressed! THe video is cool! thanks champ!
I genuinely think of OpIvy as one of the best, most complete bands ever. I love everything about them and wouldn't change anything. I'm not even sure I'd extend their time together tbh. Just amazing music.
Damn these are some very quality videos. You are exposing some amazing music that has been harder and harder to be introduced to. Also you are hella well qualified for this analysis (we played together a bit at SOR). Keep grinding, mad respect.
@@thepunkhistorian6397 it was a while ago, I’m Jay. I drummed during the epitaph show and the ska/reggae show and a few others. Also I think we jammed at Emma’s a one time. Back in the day.
Love Operation ivy! More ska content please! Personally I prefer ska to punk! But its cool that people with more punk tastes also like operation ivy. I was a teenager during the third wave ska revival so I went to a lot of the shows back then... I love the more traditional stuff too.
The Hectic 7" was the first OPIV one I heard. I came from a small town and any kind of punk was impossible to get. I'm talking late 80's and early 90's. No internet or cell phones. We had to get what was up the mall which was sex pistols, Ramones, clash, etc. Or if there was something in Thrasher magazine that you could mail order. One day a skater friend of mine came to my house with these records someone had given him and Hectic was in that batch. We wrote to Lookout Records and got a catalog, so that began a lot of stuff. Then we found Dr. Strange and Maximum Rock n Roll. I became the guy to go to for rare stuff and helped to start a record store in Greensburg Pa. Discovery Records. We did good for a long time then when Rancid n Green day weren't cool anymore, we went out of business.
I read a quote from someone once that said that punk meant "you could wear a band's tshirt and make a friend anywhere you went" (paraphrasing because I'm in my 40's and my memory is shot)- that could not be more true than the time I was (reluctantly) on vacation with my parents- 18 years old, just graduated from high school, it was a weird time. I was wearing my OPIV tshirt and walking around a flea market somewhere in Niagara Falls...and a local immediately latched on to that and we started a convo about them, which led to talking about other bands, and then making plans to meet up with other local kids later. You truly can make a friend anywhere because punk rock.
Damn Energy was an absolutely legendary work. I grew up in SE MA in the 90's(I'm 43), and Op Ivy Energy was a must-listen for any kid in my area that was remotely into punk at the time. Amazing what they created in virtually no time at all.
basic radio is sick! no bad, get back, we're all the same etc are all dope songs. every operation ivy fan needs to check it out. look for the 1986 demo also (according to discogs this is where meat market, no bad, and we're all the same (best songs) come from)
Op Ivy got a huge boost by their inclusion on the soundtrack for a video by the (then huge) skateboard team/company H-Street (I think in 1991). They had I think about half the album in the video, including Matt Hensley's part (pro skater who went on to join Flogging Molly). turned many a skater into a punk fan, including me!
This is probably how I wound up finding out about them in rural/small town Wi. In high school I worked at this flower greenhouse out in country. Teenagers from many surrounding small towns worked there. This one dude from another town most def was a skater and I'm pretty sure he was the first one I heard of Op Ivy from. Him or another skater from my town. Either way, skaters. Early 90s.
I am one of those individuals who does not like Ska in any of its formats. However I fell in love with Operation Ivy when I heard them on H Street"s first skateboarding video that featured Matt Hensley. He was an excellent skater that we all wanted to emulate so naturally we started listening to Operation Ivy. I am still a fan even after 30 years.
Op Ivy is a fundamental band in the long-lived tree of ska music and probably amongst the best in the so called 3rd Wave. Unbeatable dirty blend of the two tone roots with a very passionate punk rebel ki
Rancid came to Montebello, Canada twice seen them both times. As a guy who wore make-up to Catholic school and was told to go into the bathroom and wash that off by my principal, my rebuttal was your sexist. I have been changed by punk music. Green Day was huge when i was like 11 and we'd go get 4 energy drinks and play fable all night, when we weren't sneaking out to skate. I am getting a tattoo that is the Operation Ivy letters or logo on my inside or outside forearm. I am glad I did research because the meaning of their name would fit with my perspective of our world. Thanks bro.
I usually say there's two Ska genre, surf Ska and punk Ska. And I'm happy bands like Authority Zero kept the Energy going (pun intended) with a nice mix of both.
i'm a random dude from england who was born in the 2000s that found out about op ivy from a book i read and i'm constantly recommending them to people because they're just so rad
I definitely acknowledge the impact of OpIvy, though I think had they not existed, some other band would have filled the niche they created. Among the punks of the day, at least in DC, everyone listened to ska before OpIvy came together. The DC scene of the day was pretty two-tone and everyone had the Specials albums and probably the Selecter too. For a band of the day that seemed to blend ska and (possibly) punk, I’d point to Fishbone and their first EP. It’s also worth noting that the bad brains had some pretty amazing reggae tunes, though not ska ones of course. I think OpIvy were definitely a product of their time and were able to capture lightning in a bottle with their songs and sound. Whether another band could have had the impact that they did is difficult to say, but I do think the “ska-punk” genre would have come to be with or without them, just knowing how closely aligned punk and ska and hardcore were in the later 80’s.
Tim and Matts expert abilities to blend Punk and Ska music put them on another level as far as I am concerned. The other members of Rancid as well but Tim and matt basically created their own form of Rock n Roll just like The Ramones.
I love ska even that early stuff like Desmond Dekker but as usual U nailed it O P ivy definitely have given it a big dose of punk to it the first rancid LP was brilliant easy to C they came from op ivy. Even though I New most of that U still always suprise me cheers brother as usual peace and love lloydy
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In my senior year of high school I was in a band called "Primitive Love" with Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman. Believe it or not, the sound was Psychobilly/Ska/Electronic. I "played" drum machine & synthesizer, and our first (and only) gig at Ruthie's Inn (in Berkeley California) was a disaster, due to the sound man having no clue how to mix the show. The band broke up the day after the gig, and Tim & Matt formed Basic Radio a week later. Oh, and my best friend in high school was responsible for giving Tim the "Lint" nickname (we were all hanging out at some park in Berkeley one night with nothing to do, drinking 40's, and my friend told Tim "I'm calling you Lint from now on" - somehow it stuck).
RELEASE THE TAPES
@@PhilosophyCat There *were* tapes made - but sadly (if i ever even had one) they're long since lost. Maybe one of the other band members kept a copy, but i doubt it.
Noway that's fuckin Rad bro.. Matt freeman is a freakin bad ass and Tim is just legendary
Do you guys have any recordings, maybe even just a bootleg?
What's your high school 🏫 called?
nobody made punk more danceable than op-ivy. they were a dance band that happened to be punk & ska. they took the upstroke, shuffle, and danceability of SKA and Punked it out all distorted. shit was magic.
I'm a 52 year old dude from SoCal that grew up going to first hand Ill Repute, Agression, Circle Jerks, Stalag 13 shows. Op Ivy is absolutely the bridge between Punk and Ska. There was NO bands meshing the two genres at the time, ZERO.
That said, I was balls deep into Skinny Puppy at the time. But I still attended garage shows.
Well in its own way Skinny Puppy was way more punk than What was traditionally considered punk at the time.
Me and my homie kicked it around Huntington on 2005. Coming from NJ it was crazy seeing a punk or 2 every here and there. So many infact we heard back in the 80's it really was like that episode of 21 Jump St. where a van would pull up and a gang of punks would jump out to bang on another crew. F'N wild!
The clash always mixed punk and ska
That was a good thing. 🙂
Matt's bass playing has always been my favorite thing about op ivy and rancid. Completely different from any other punk bassist, especially for the time. Wonderful stuff!
Dude I feel the exact same way. Jack Bruce was one of Matt's biggest influences. He doesn't look at the bass as just a rhythm/play with the drums type of thing......He mashes hard with a flourish that gives me chills every time I hear it.
It's definitely my favorite thing about them, except for everything else about them
He's def awesome, but Lars and Tim have really interesting guitar playing that give a lot of unique sound, let alone Time songwriting. Tim has stated blues and bluegrass influence his playing, and he tries to learn a lot of various genres which I believe Matt does too - which is a common thing with many standout musicians/songwriters.
@@hi_tech_reptiles oh yeah I for sure love the guitar interplay between Tim and Lars, it's a band that has a lot going on outside of the usual punk sound and every member of the band contributes equally to the overall result. Perfect "whole greater than the sum of its parts"
The man is fucking psychotic on bass
One of my favorite bands. Still listen to them almost daily
After getting into OpIv in high school (96) I got the chance to interview Jesse for my website in 2003 and it was a surreal experience.
That was a good couple years after
His band common rider put out classics of love !
My teen years were back in the early 90s and I discovered Operation Ivy back in 92. I remember me and my friends joking about how late to the party we were only finding out about them 3 years after they broke up. I can't believe people are still discovering and loving them to this day!
Dude, I was cranking Energy for years straight and I'm still not sick of it 2021! Fucking perfect🤘
49 year old her from Arizona. There is no band that ever existed that had more an effect on my life than OI. I still spin it every now and then and have passed it on to my kids. It was a moment in time that they captured like gold.
saw them at Gilam in 89. skating, punk, and thrift stores, best time ever.
The songwriting was outstanding for such young kids. The fact that they stayed independent helped to make them one of the most beloved punk bands in history. Fans want to know that what they’re supporting is true Art, not some lame entertainment (like WWE wrestling).
Second that. Not sure what you have against professional wrestling, but your point was made without that little jab. Art is subjective, and if someone finds meaning from WWE, why would you put it down?
John Cena, for example, has completed over 500 “Make a Wish” wishes. Do you think the children dying of cancer that idolized John deserve to be put down for liking “lame entertainment”?.
Grow up, stop feeding your own ego, and arrogance.
I am just a 16 zoomer who loves some good ska punk. My dad introduced me to op ivy and rancid.
There was this really old mathematician named Todd at my first job, it was at a prestigious university and we did research on how to help struggling elementary students in school. I walked into Todd’s office one day and he is just blaring OPT IVY. Todd was my dude after that
Favourite Op Iv track for me is "The Crowd". I discovered Op Iv in my early twenties, and while I'm very grateful for my friend who recommended the band to me, a big part of me also wishes that I've known about them during my teenage years.
See, "The Crowd" was the kind of song I tried to write when I was a teen sitting in my room strumming my guitar. And hearing that song, listening to those lyrics, it was like "Yes! Yes! This is what I've been trying to say, only way, way better!"
Some other faves are Vulnerability, Bad Town, Jaded, Knowledge, and Unity.
I just post healthy body sick mind was mine but the crowd .. oh idk that might be better ! Haha tuff one
The lyrics on that record are so inspired.
Wrenched into the world. Deanaesthatised, blurry images fit their way through halfway open eyes. Wakened by alarm fifteen minutes of hygiene, twenty minutes eating fifteen seconds to the door.
That was in my head every day of my senior year.
There are three bands I think.of when you think short yet impactful band who's members went to to be scene legends. The obvious two are Minor Threat and Op Ivy. The third is Slapstick. The Op Ivy of ska skate punk. The family tree that eventually gave the world Alkaline Trio and The Lawence Arms. That discography album is still in my regular rotation in 2021.
I swear I don’t hear anyone ever talk about slapstick but they fuckin rock! I first heard them off the misfits of ska comp album
Slapstick rules
Never heard of slapstick lol
@ they’re an awesome ska punk band
Choking victim too
Life-changing band. Thanks for this piece
Love Op Ivey, GREATEST 1 album band of all time
Jesse lived in my apt complex in Boca Raton in 96 and was the nicest dude to me when I relocated there at 18 years old, he made a tremendous impact on me.
Lasted 2 years and are still influencing music to this day. Love it!
This album has the best breakdowns (if that’s what you call em) . In my top 5 favorite albums of all genres . The lyrics are top notch . Healthy body sick mind favorite song
Op Ivy has an obvious hip hop influence.
Operation Ivy is everything that you claim and more.
In my opinion, Rancid is one of the most under-rated bands of all time. They don't get enough credit for being great at so many different styles of music: ska, punk, hardcore punk, pop punk,.... how they seamlessly weave all the styles together, nor do they get credit for their vast library of music. Every album they've put out is quite good and 'Out Come The Wolves' could be one of the best albums ever, of any genre. Freeman, Armstrong and Frederickson have created something truly great in Rancid.
Always thought Rancid desperately wanted to be The Clash
.....and out come the wolves is my favorite album of all time, still listen to it occasionally.
@@arejaycee5484 There's definitely some truth to that, but if you look into it, most great bands started out copying some other band. The trick is for the band to grow past their initial influence into something truly great. That's why I consider Rancid on par with The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Parlament/Funkadelic, Sly and the family Stone, Clash, Bob Marley and the Wailers, George Strait, Ike & Tina Turner, NWA, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Metallica, Black Sabbath,.... One of the all time greats.
53, I was fortunate to see Op Ivy multiple times. Gilman, Berkeley Square, Scotts house, Eggplants. Some other place with a foosball table in Oakland. IDK.... What I can say is I am so happy I was there. I was military in the Bay Area at the time. I signed up from middle America to get to where DK, Flipper, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, 7 Seconds were. I ended up at Gilman where most of those bands play a few shows...but I became friends with Crimpshrine...and was able to see Isocracy, Blatz, Lookouts, Sweet Baby Jesus, Filth, and so many more... Yes...Op Ivy were the hero's of punk and ska...they were the right band at the right place at the right time. Hence they broke up the night their record was released (one more private show at Eggplants) and that was it.
Thank you for making this. So many later millennials and generations after don't even know Op Ivy, let alone their incredibly important impact on the scene.
Vulnerability has always been my favorite Op Ivy song, but that entire album is great.
Take warning is my favorite Operation Ivy song definitely. There is no ska punk without operation ivy. Just bad Brains switching back forth from punk to reggae.
Another band I’ll talk about at some point
@@thepunkhistorian6397 have you ever covered Andrenalin OD? AOD is a band that I think many/most younger generation don't realize the influence they had on hardcore from the mid-80s to around 90. I know NOFX will talk about all these bands that influenced them (including OPIV), but for the most part, NOFX was already an established band or contemporary at the very least of most the bands they mention... the one I never hear mentioned is AOD, and I know for a fact AOD was an early influence of NOFX.
SNFU is also a band that doesn't get the props that they deserve.... "...and No One Wanted To Play" had a significant impact on the mid to late 80s punk scene.
@@unlvrebelx I’m not super familiar with AOD. Though I’ve definitely listened to them before.
Mentioned SNFU in the skate punk vid. I like them for sure but I’ve only really sat down with a couple of their records
Listen to AOD's Wacky Hijinks album, then try to find another band from 1984 that had a comparable sound...then Humgoufungusamonus from 1986... I really think it'll surprise you how much these guys were pioneers with their sound & style...definitely not your typical East coast sounding band. AOD had a major impact & influenced a lot of bands in the west coast punk scene. Nice Song in the Key of D should be a staple song for every punk th-cam.com/video/bog-5hQKgcw/w-d-xo.html
Crass
Seriously, thank you for this channel. I just discovered it and am in awe of your work. Really appreciate you.
Wow what a great video! I've not listened to Operation Ivy for 20 years and randomly looked them up today and came across your piece! Cheers for that, it's awesome!!!
These guys were my first introduction to proper punk rock; they're still my fave to this day
it's insane the best punk band of all time only played for a couple years and only released one full length LP. OP IVY FOREVER.
Thank you for mentioning David Hayes. He was a HUGE part of the East Bay scene. He would later release David Mello's band Schlong on Very Small/Too Many Records.
schlong was the shit!!! 💥
I saw Schlong play many times in Detroit and Ann Arbor. Fun band
Great content! I’m a 42 yr old Pacific Islander, and the whole subculture brought me to life. I discovered OP and the whole scene when I was 15 in the mid 90s, and op ivy perfectly brought voice to my island heritage and ironically optimistic rage. They were some of the first musicians I’d heard who had a philosophy that I identified with.
I used to wear the Energy Operation Ivy shirt so much people called me Chris Ivy in HS. Great video!
I appreciate your humble approach to the topic. It brings me joy to see younger people still being into punk rock and actually understanding what the movement was about. Just like every subculture, punk rock has become commercialized & most of it has become nothing but a fashion statement, which really isn't a statement anymore. We're in the middle of a 2nd Civil Rights Movement and people like us need to be a part of smashing the fascists and tearing down injustices in this world. Of coarse you can only do so much as an individual, but every voice does matter!
There’s a freeze up comin!!! Man, loved this video! It’s hard not to sing along with the quiet song in the background!
When you mentioned Gilman street it reminded me of christ on parade one of the best and most underrated bands around at that time. Please do a video on them. Thank you.
Great channel mate! As I am (only) 40 now I missed out on OpIv at the time but was bang in to the bands that they influenced so always understood their place in the annals of ska/punk history. When I was younger I preferred a more polished production a la RBF, LTJ etc, but still skanked out to Sound System and Knowledge when it came on in the club. Certified bangers!
Great vid! I'm actually into crust punk, but started out with pop punk back in grade school and middle school in the 90s. Op Ivy was always one of my favorites. I don't hate ska, but I'm not into it either (don't own any albums, can't name any bands). What I love about Op Ivy is their songwriting, their great melodies, the energy (ha!) and conviction they play with, and of course their incredible, brilliant lyrics and awesome social commentary and anti-war message. Of the pop punk bands I still listen to, Op Ivy is the only one I reach for with any regularity.
As a side note, my two-year-old son also loves Op Ivy and can already recite the lyrics and sing along to Unity. I call it a win.
Been watching loads of your videos. There sick. Thankyou. Especially this one on op ivy. Energy is one of my favourite punk albums for sure
Love Op Ivy. One of my all time favorites.
I'll say, though, that Fishbone deserves credit for their part in creating modern ska-punk and influencing a ton of bands who were also the foundation of the early ska-punk.
The 4 pioneers of ska-punk are Fishbone, Operation Ivy, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Voodoo Glow Skulls.
@@jiffah Preach! I love VooDoo
Let's note forget The 4-Skins, mmkay?
@@HiddenDriveways Who?
First heard them on the Turn It Around double 7" comp. Ordered their 7" and LP from Blacklist Mailorder when I was a teen. Another great band from that timeframe is Crimpshrine.
I would love to see the Punk Historian do a Crimpshrine doc
Love crimpshrine
Cool video! Thanks for making it! I used to play drums and do some vocals in a punk band. We had a few ska punk songs. As a drummer I do enjoy playing those types of beats.
Thank you so much for this video! Your channel rocks and you know EVERYTHING about Punk. Wow!
Lifelong Op Ivy fan. Even met David Mello at a show our bands both played at once. But there’s so little documented about them. Thanks for the education and helping fill in some gaps. What a gift!!
Your channel is a fucking godsend! So far, the RKL video is my favorite, because not many people talk about that band! Also, we both have a deep love for Strung Out, astrolux tattoo and all!
Right on! I’m hoping to get some Strung Out ink done myself at some point
And thanks dude!
AWESOME VID BROTHER! THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO MAKE IT. CHEERS!
I loved op ivy growing up in the 80’s and still get that teenage feeling watching this. Peace to the punks and peace to the skins.
I would love to see a common rider video dude, this channel makes me happy, I am an elder millennial punk nerd and your channel makes me happy
I’ll talk about them in a video about Jesse Michael’s other bands eventually. He had this other band called Classics of Love too that I used to really like growing up. I know he’s had a few other projects as well over the years.
This is an awesome channel. And my favorite op Ivy song is here we go again
Hahaha I was listening to this album while strolling through the city, and then all of a sudden I stumbled upon this awesome video..... Hoping to to watch more!!... Cheers my droog!!
The algorithm blessed me with a good video for once, you gained a new subscriber.
I was just listening to sound system yesterday bringing back some memories man
One of my favorite bands of all time. On a super random note, there was probably some people that were too lazy to go see op ivy's last show and missed their chance forever.
All time favorite Operation Ivy song is "Take Warning"
I lean on grindcore and death metal these days, but Op Ivy still has a special place in my heart ❤
I never really gave a damn about ska or the like until someone got me to listen to Operation Ivy. I absolutely love what little music they released when they were around, I’ve listened to Energy tons of times and every single song on that album is fantastic. They also kinda dragged me into the whole ska punk thing, which I’ve been getting into recently.
Surely you must have heard The Clash
@@arejaycee5484 Yeah of course, I always liked The Clash's stuff because I heard it on the radio a lot as a kid. However, I didn't really register them in my brain as being ska punk until I got into the genre, and that's when I went further into their discography as well.
The Offs were one of the first ska punk bands that I am aware of. They were part of the late 70’s early 80’s SF scene.
I would love to see you do a history of another great East Bay punk band the mighty Crimpshrine. Jughead s basement podcast did an excellent history on them some years ago. The best!
Op Ivy was revolutionary for me as a kid in the late 90s. They played a song on my 5-star mix literally today. Room without a window. Can't see out, can't see out. Sound system gonna pick me back up. Then follow it up with some fresh Interrupters.
this channel is awesome. good job. love hearing history of bands i love
I enjoy and applaud your persicion on the time lines, through most of your videos, I am often like, " I remember when my certain set of friends were into them...."
While I was into something completely different, for this window of time , I was all in on Skinny Puppy.
PLEASE KEEP POSTING!
PLEASE KEEP UP THE RESEARCH.
I would enjoy/ love a history of Rudimentary Peni. I was there when the singles and Death Church were new!
Also, a video of how / why Punk seemed to have the largest audience in Southern California, English Bands would come to the states, play clubs. But in Los Angeles they could headline the Olympic Auditorium ( early 80's - 5000 capacity building)
This is one of my favs of all time. Yelling in my eye was a song I happened to come across at a very young age and was impressed! THe video is cool! thanks champ!
Their lyrics are transcendently good.
I genuinely think of OpIvy as one of the best, most complete bands ever. I love everything about them and wouldn't change anything. I'm not even sure I'd extend their time together tbh. Just amazing music.
yes they did what they needed to and quit as they became legendary.
Damn these are some very quality videos. You are exposing some amazing music that has been harder and harder to be introduced to. Also you are hella well qualified for this analysis (we played together a bit at SOR). Keep grinding, mad respect.
Thanks a lot! SOR? When was it? Hahaha
@@thepunkhistorian6397 it was a while ago, I’m Jay. I drummed during the epitaph show and the ska/reggae show and a few others. Also I think we jammed at Emma’s a one time. Back in the day.
@@tommycolt7961 oh shit! Cool to hear from u again man! Hope all is well
@@thepunkhistorian6397 th-cam.com/video/l9yEHNIJ9fo/w-d-xo.html this shit was crazy long ago damn
This is a great channel and video. I don’t know much about this genre of music but this video did a good job explaining
Thanks!
I’m 49 yrs old. This was the soundtrack of my youth. Miss those days
Operation Ivy is one of the best punk bands of the 1980's! Thanks for the great video!
Love Operation ivy! More ska content please! Personally I prefer ska to punk! But its cool that people with more punk tastes also like operation ivy. I was a teenager during the third wave ska revival so I went to a lot of the shows back then... I love the more traditional stuff too.
I was in a ska band called Fixed Idea in El Paso Texas. Operation Ivy was our inspiration and driving force.
The Hectic 7" was the first OPIV one I heard. I came from a small town and any kind of punk was impossible to get. I'm talking late 80's and early 90's. No internet or cell phones.
We had to get what was up the mall which was sex pistols, Ramones, clash, etc. Or if there was something in Thrasher magazine that you could mail order. One day a skater friend of mine came to my house with these records someone had given him and Hectic was in that batch. We wrote to Lookout Records and got a catalog, so that began a lot of stuff. Then we found Dr. Strange and Maximum Rock n Roll.
I became the guy to go to for rare stuff and helped to start a record store in Greensburg Pa. Discovery Records. We did good for a long time then when Rancid n Green day weren't cool anymore, we went out of business.
Greetings from England; love the vid, have Op Ivy's logo tattooed on my arm, keep up the good work!
These videos are great man, keep up the good work.
Crazy! Never know their last show was their record release party haha
I read a quote from someone once that said that punk meant "you could wear a band's tshirt and make a friend anywhere you went" (paraphrasing because I'm in my 40's and my memory is shot)- that could not be more true than the time I was (reluctantly) on vacation with my parents- 18 years old, just graduated from high school, it was a weird time. I was wearing my OPIV tshirt and walking around a flea market somewhere in Niagara Falls...and a local immediately latched on to that and we started a convo about them, which led to talking about other bands, and then making plans to meet up with other local kids later. You truly can make a friend anywhere because punk rock.
Damn Energy was an absolutely legendary work. I grew up in SE MA in the 90's(I'm 43), and Op Ivy Energy was a must-listen for any kid in my area that was remotely into punk at the time. Amazing what they created in virtually no time at all.
It has Seedy cd as well not just one album if you where lucky to pick it up but they did not release it but it has some of my favorite songs on it.
basic radio is sick! no bad, get back, we're all the same etc are all dope songs. every operation ivy fan needs to check it out. look for the 1986 demo also (according to discogs this is where meat market, no bad, and we're all the same (best songs) come from)
Sound System is always a song I visit when I need to
I was super stoked when I found the radio days cd.
Op Ivy got a huge boost by their inclusion on the soundtrack for a video by the (then huge) skateboard team/company H-Street (I think in 1991). They had I think about half the album in the video, including Matt Hensley's part (pro skater who went on to join Flogging Molly). turned many a skater into a punk fan, including me!
This is probably how I wound up finding out about them in rural/small town Wi. In high school I worked at this flower greenhouse out in country. Teenagers from many surrounding small towns worked there. This one dude from another town most def was a skater and I'm pretty sure he was the first one I heard of Op Ivy from. Him or another skater from my town. Either way, skaters. Early 90s.
I am one of those individuals who does not like Ska in any of its formats. However I fell in love with Operation Ivy when I heard them on H Street"s first skateboarding video that featured Matt Hensley. He was an excellent skater that we all wanted to emulate so naturally we started listening to Operation Ivy. I am still a fan even after 30 years.
Good stuff, I hope you keep making videos.
Such a bummer to only hear about Rancid post Op Ivy but never Common Rider. Great video though. Energy is an eternal classic.
Op Ivy is a fundamental band in the long-lived tree of ska music and probably amongst the best in the so called 3rd Wave. Unbeatable dirty blend of the two tone roots with a very passionate punk rebel ki
Rancid came to Montebello, Canada twice seen them both times. As a guy who wore make-up to Catholic school and was told to go into the bathroom and wash that off by my principal, my rebuttal was your sexist. I have been changed by punk music. Green Day was huge when i was like 11 and we'd go get 4 energy drinks and play fable all night, when we weren't sneaking out to skate. I am getting a tattoo that is the Operation Ivy letters or logo on my inside or outside forearm. I am glad I did research because the meaning of their name would fit with my perspective of our world. Thanks bro.
I usually say there's two Ska genre, surf Ska and punk Ska. And I'm happy bands like Authority Zero kept the Energy going (pun intended) with a nice mix of both.
Mustard Plug and mephistopheles two of my favorites in person for sure
Bad Religion were still putting out albums in the late 80’s and carrying the punk rock torch. Op Ivy and Rancid all comes from The Clash.
Great video! My favorite Op Ivy song is Knowledge!
Thanks you dude.. I didnt know Tim had Basic Radio...
Great video. Thank you for making it.
i'm a random dude from england who was born in the 2000s that found out about op ivy from a book i read and i'm constantly recommending them to people because they're just so rad
My favorite OP IVY song is the whole album!
I definitely acknowledge the impact of OpIvy, though I think had they not existed, some other band would have filled the niche they created. Among the punks of the day, at least in DC, everyone listened to ska before OpIvy came together. The DC scene of the day was pretty two-tone and everyone had the Specials albums and probably the Selecter too. For a band of the day that seemed to blend ska and (possibly) punk, I’d point to Fishbone and their first EP. It’s also worth noting that the bad brains had some pretty amazing reggae tunes, though not ska ones of course.
I think OpIvy were definitely a product of their time and were able to capture lightning in a bottle with their songs and sound. Whether another band could have had the impact that they did is difficult to say, but I do think the “ska-punk” genre would have come to be with or without them, just knowing how closely aligned punk and ska and hardcore were in the later 80’s.
They changed punk ska and all of music forever my biggest we st inspiration for the ska punk/reggae punk band I'm starting
Freeze Up its timeless, if you change 1989 to 2021 you see the much of the same
Tim and Matts expert abilities to blend Punk and Ska music put them on another level as far as I am concerned. The other members of Rancid as well but Tim and matt basically created their own form of Rock n Roll just like The Ramones.
Oh man this is great, a favorite of mine and my buddies alike.
To this day Operation Ivy reminds me of being a shaved headed teen in a sweaty garage, gigging, and not taking shit from anyone.
Right on! Thanks a lot man!
I love ska even that early stuff like Desmond Dekker but as usual U nailed it O P ivy definitely have given it a big dose of punk to it the first rancid LP was brilliant easy to C they came from op ivy. Even though I New most of that U still always suprise me cheers brother as usual peace and love lloydy
Hedgecore represents everything I ever loved about op iv and skapunk in general. one onf my best band EVER