Jesse Michaels on an Operation Ivy reunion: “I wouldn’t object to it”

Jesse Michaels has spoken about the prospect of Operation Ivy reuniting, saying that he “wouldn’t object to it”.

The Berkeley, California band – whose comprised of singer Michaels, drummer Dave Mello and Rancid‘s Tim Armstrong and Matt ‘McCall’ Freeman – were only active between 1987 and 1989, releasing just the one studio album – 1989’s ‘Energy’ – during their time together.

Operation Ivy’s music has endured since their split, with Green Day regularly covering the band’s track ‘Knowledge’ during their live shows (and often inviting members of the crowd on stage to play the song) and Against Me!‘s Laura Jane Grace launching a petition in 2020 calling for an Operation Ivy reunion at Riot Fest.

Speaking on a new episode of The Hard Times Podcast, Michaels was asked about why the members of Operation Ivy hadn’t yet considered the prospect of a reunion.

“Well, for a long time we weren’t really talking – it wasn’t because there was bad blood. We had issues when we broke up, but we’re all grown up now. We were just sort of in different worlds,” Michaels explained. “For a long time, we just weren’t talking that much. Now, we do. I see Tim pretty frequently. We get along, he is a friend.”

Michaels said that “because [a reunion] involves different people and different factors, I can’t talk too much about that”, but then added: “I will say, I don’t object to the idea. I don’t know if it could happen for various practical reasons, but I wouldn’t rule it out.

“We have gotten offers, other people have tried to make it happen… who knows. I just can’t talk about it more than that. It involves other people who have other careers, it involves legal matters…

“I do truly appreciate the interest.”

Speaking in a recent interview with the Peer Pleasure Podcast, drummer Mello said that he’s “totally for” a reunion.

“I’d be into it,” Mello said, before clarifying that “it’s something the other members don’t need”.

“They have so many other things going on in their lives. It’s not something they’d want to do.”