Cover Songs: Rancid does Operation Ivy

Operation Ivy is one of those bands that has long played a crucial role in influencing and inspiring countless punk bands. They are also one of those bands that if they were to reunite, it would be beyond welcomed with open arms. After the break up of Operation Ivy, two of the members (Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman) would go on to form Rancid. Sadly though, a full fledged reunion probably won’t ever take place. The group has stated a number of times that Operation Ivy reunion is unlikely to happen. Singer Jesse Michaels addressed reunion issues in a Myspace blog many years ago citing the legal and logistic difficulties in getting the four 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.” Luckily though, during Rancid’s US tour in 2006, Armstrong and Freeman played select tracks from their previous band’s 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

 

Unity:

 

 
Knowledge:

 

 
Sound System:

 

 
Green Day and Tim Armstrong- Knowledge:

 

Greatest Political Songs

Today is election day. Probably one of the most important elections in the history of the United States. I thought that today I should put together a list of the greatest political songs. This is open to all who would like to contribute a suggestion to the list. I will be updating this a lot!

Neil Young- Rockin In The Free World:

 

Creedence Clearwater Revival- Fortunate Son:

 

The Beatles- Revolution:

 

Rolling Stones- Street Fighting Man:

 

Bob Dylan- The Times They Are A Changing:

 

Bob Dylan- Only A Pawn In Their Game:

 

Bob Dylan- Masters Of War:

 

Rage Against The Machine- Sleep Now In The Fire:

Rage Against The Machine- Killin In The Name:

 

Buffalo Springfield- For What It’s Worth:

 

U2- Sunday Bloody Sunday:

 

The Clash- Clampdown:

 

The Clash- Know Your Rights:

 

John Lennon- Imagine:

 

Marvin Gaye- What’s Going On:

 

Bruce Springsteen- Born In The USA:

 

Gil Scott Heron- The Revolution Will Not Be Televised:

 

The Doors- Five To One:

 

Green Day- American Idiot:

 

Rise Against- State Of The Union:

 

Black Flag- Rise Above:

 

Bad Religion- American Jesus:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top Ten Bands: G

We continue the alphabet with the letter G. Again these are in no particular order. And I’m always looking to add to the list so feel free to leave suggestions!

 

1) Guns N Roses
2) Germs
3) Gojira
4) Green Day
5) Peter Gabriel
6) Genesis
7) Garbage
8) Godflesh
9) Marvin Gaye
10) David Gilmour

 

 

List: Best Three Piece Bands

I’ve always been intrigued by bands that have 3 or less members. Sure some of them when they play live add members to fill out their sound, but the core remains those three people. So with that in mind here is a list of the best three piece bands. Note This list is in NO PARTICULAR ORDER.

Beastie Boys
Cream
Thin Lizzy
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Chevelle
Depeche Mode
Green Day
Black Map
Rush
Jimi Hendrix Experience
Failure
ZZ Top
Motorhead
Nirvana
Silverchair
Wild Throne
High On Fire
Placebo
Primus
Dinosaur Jr
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Muse
The Melvins
Sigur Ros
The Police (Even though Sting is a douche)

Bands That Should Come Back: Operation Ivy

The 1980’s were a very interesting time for music. Hardcore Punk was created as was Thrash metal. Towards the late 80’s a group formed in Berkeley, California. Operation Ivy was one of the first bands to mix hardcore punk and ska. Their mix of the two genres is regarded as part of the vanguard of the second wave of American punk rock which swept the country in the 1990s. Operation Ivy was critical to the emergence of Lookout Records and the so-called “East Bay Sound.” Although the band released just one full length album Energy, before breaking up in May 1989, Operation Ivy is well remembered as the direct antecedent of Rancid (Tim “Lint” Armstrong and Matt Freeman were both in Op Ivy) and for wielding a lasting stylistic influence over numerous other bands. A fun fact about the band at their last official live performance. This show was Green Day’s first performance at the famed 924 Gilman St. This was also supposed to be Operation Ivy’s record release show. As for a reunion, the group has stated a number of times that Operation Ivy reunion is unlikely to happen. frontman Jesse Michaels addressed reunion issues in a Myspace blog years ago, citing the legal and logistic difficulties in getting the four 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.” The closest thing ever to a reunion happened at a Rancid show at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco on December 17, 2006, Jesse Michaels reunited with Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman to perform the tracks “Unity” as well as “Sound System”. It was Jesse’s first time on stage with Tim and Matt in over 15 years.

Operation Ivy is one of those bands that if they were to come back would immediately be welcomed. There is such a high regard for this band in all circles of punk, and even parts of the metal community. One can only hope that one day this happens before it’s too late.

By: Brian Lacy