Any Rancid fan worth their salt will know Operation Ivy. Named after the series of American nuclear tests, the ska-punk Operation Ivy is usually relegated to the status of one of Tim Armstrong's pre-Rancid bands. Playing shows around Berkley they gained a cult following which let to being signed by Lookout! Records in 1988 with whom they released their only album, Energy. Energy was a classic punk record in that the lyrics were deeply anti-conformist and calling for social justice. In the notes for the re-release of Energy, vocalist Jesse Michaels expressed that "Music is an indirect force for change, because it provides an anchor against human tragedy...the momentum that drives a subculture is more important than any particular band". Operation Ivy felt, and promoted the feeling, of togetherness within the punk community and the ideas that, as a group, change could be enforced.
