This year is the 35th anniversary of Operation Ivy’s debut EP titled “Hectic.” While the band was only officially together for a mere 2 years (from 1987 to 1989), they managed to have a monumental impact on the San Francisco Bay area.

Forming in 1987, Operation Ivy started as just another garage band that would play anywhere they could. The band consisted of Tim Armstrong on guitar and vocals, Matt Freeman on bass, Dave Mello on drums, and Jesse Michaels on vocals.  Any chance and any time they could, the band would play, no matter the size of the audience.

One main venue that Operation Ivy would play at is 924 Gilman Street. Gilman was one of the most popular venues in Berkeley, California, and even the whole Bay area. The band held their first official live concert at Gilman on May 27, 1987.

At the time, the punk record label called Lookout Records was looking for artists. Operation Ivy managed to strike a deal with Lookout and appeared on their first sampler in 1988, titled “The Thing That Ate Floyd.”

The band followed up with their debut EP in 1988 titled “Hectic.” This EP is one of the first successful ska-core records and included six original songs written by Operation Ivy. Following this, the band went on a small cross-country tour, playing exclusively at small punk venues.

In 1989, the band released their first and only full length album, aptly named “Energy.” The album was a massive success for Lookout and the band alike, cementing itself as a pivotal album in the ska-punk scene in the area.

Consequently, a big record label reached out to the band, offering a record deal with the band. Operation Ivy decided that they did not want their beliefs to clash with one another and decided to part ways.

Operation Ivy had their last concert on May 28, 1989, marking the end of the band’s lifetime. Another small band played at Gilman that same night, playing under the name of Green Day for the first time, later releasing a cover of Operation Ivy’s “Knowledge” on their “Slappy” EP in 1990.

Despite the band’s relatively short run time, they managed to be a centerpiece of the Berkeley punk scene, especially at 924 Gilman Street. Many popular bands would rise from this one venue alone, such as The Offspring, Green Day, and Rancid, the last of which containing Operation Ivy members Armstrong and Freeman.

It is amazing for a band this niche and relatively obscure to have such an impact on a community. I’ve heard people listening to Operation Ivy and wearing Operation Ivy merch in my day to day life before, decades after their dissolution. Bands like this are a rare and special occurrence and deserve to be cherished by all generations.