Operation Ivy: Energy

"Operation Ivy-a band named after a 1952 American hydrogen bomb test-did the unthinkable: they fused hardcore and ska. Their lone LP, Energy, is just that: a kinetic jolt of gritty, uptempo punk. Is Op Ivy more deserving of a Nobel than Ernest Lawrence? It's hard to say. But if the Nobel committee had any sense, Ska-Punk would be a prize category alongside Physics and Peace, and Op Ivy would be standing on a platform in Stockholm with medals around their necks."

"On a Sunday night in May of 1989, a throng of sweaty kids packed the 924 Gilman Street Project, a Berkeley punk club in an industrial zone just a few blocks from the San Francisco Bay. The opening band was a trio of East Bay upstarts who had recently changed their name from Sweet Children to Green Day. But the reason the club was at max capacity was to see the headliners, Op Ivy, who were celebrating the release of Energy."

"Formed in May of 1987, Op Ivy were like a precocial animal-an elephant or a horse that, at birth, could run with the pack. With frontman Jesse Michaels, Dave Mello on drums, Matt Freeman on bass, and guitarist Tim Armstrong, then known as Lint (a nickname he allegedly gave himself without reason), Op Ivy became the flagship band of the early Gilman scene."

Operation Ivy formed in Berkeley in May 1987 with Jesse Michaels, Dave Mello, Matt Freeman, and Tim Armstrong. The band fused hardcore punk and ska to create a high-energy, gritty, uptempo sound on their lone LP Energy. Energy's release drew packed crowds at 924 Gilman Street and helped define the East Bay punk scene. The group's blend of styles produced an influential ska-punk template that contrasted with mainstream punk trends. The band's name referenced a 1952 hydrogen bomb test, reflecting provocative punk sensibilities. Energy remained the singular long-player from Operation Ivy, consolidating the band's legacy.

Read at Pitchfork