By Scott Kaplan
Operation Ivy
p Ivy may not appear in Top 10 lists from major forces in music like Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, or Spin, but these guys pioneered the genre known as ska-core. Way ahead of their time, they came and went in a flash (1987-1989) but their music lives on today as as iconic in the punk scene. In the debris of their fallout, members Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong went on to form Rancid but ultimately, fans will tell you Op Ivy was bigger than any one act. It spawned a movement. To me, they are the epitome of why the world should send a thank you card to Punk Rock. Their lyrics addressed social injustices in the late 80’s, but if you read them today, you’ll find them ageless. (Imagine that, time goes on but the angst of an unjust world remains the same). The way they expressed emotion in their music is unrivaled too. The gritty vocals and unbridled lyrics served as a hub for disenfranchised people who wanted to channel their angst into connection, hope, and change (trendy themes for the times, no?).
Simply put, this band changed my life. To pump me up for the grad school grind, I listened to their music every morning during my last year in the program. “On my way to save the world” was in the chorus to the song “Missionary”, and which served to activate my hubris while making me laugh each morning. Also, to ‘keep it real’ as my punk self, I quoted my favorite Op Ivy song “Here We Go Again” in the opening paragraph of my personal statement for internship applications. It read “conditioned to self-interest with emotions locked away, if that’s what they call normal than I’d rather be insane”. (I’m in the mental health field though, so I changed “insane” to “strange”. Such is life). The ego in me will have to stand strong though, because my emo wants to tell you it’s been one of those mottos I live by. Thank you Op Ivy for helping me accept and release my emotion.
If you want an earful of all they got, get their self-titled “catalogue cd” released in 2007. It’s a remastered reissue of their 1991 album Energy, 1988 EP Hectic, and other compilation tracks.
Orchard Lounge
Downtempo, space disco, house, tech, b-boy era electro, hip hop, soul, and funk â if you can move, Orchard Lounge will back you up. Their motto is “from the dancefloor to the couch” and I’m proud to call them long-time friends. Formed in Chicago in 2000, OL is the collective of Ben Silver, Spencer Lokken and Bethany Lokken. This versatile trio has enlightened dance floors nationwide with their eclectic mixes, from sunset chill-out to bass-dropping tech house, and an array of other futuristic sounds. They are masters at exposing the masses to music you may not be familiar with and unlike other DJs, they play music that’s not hard on the ears, which is refreshing. From downtempo to tech, classic hip hop to funk, and electro to lover's rock, there's something for everyone. Check 'em out on their website. There’s TONS of free downloads, including live sets and mix Tapes with proper tags and artwork for Ipods.
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