8. Operation IvyEnergy

Again, you want to talk about a perfect album? I think Operation Ivy bridged the gap between early Bob Marley and Bad Brains. It has really scratchy guitars and everything, but it’s a perfect album. Lyrically, it’s mind-blowing. Sonically, it’s dangerous. And it’s a rally cry of an album, almost like their version of ska. Also, if you can put this in a sidebar or something, I want to mention Bobby Ramone. Have you heard his stuff? Look it up. He sings Bob Marley lyrics and melodies over Ramones guitars. It is fucking perfect. It’s the coolest music ever. 

Talking of ska, are you still running your cafe, Rudy’s Can’t Fail, in Emeryville, California?

We pretty much gave it to our employees. We sold it to them for nothing. Our manager at the time is one of the owners now, and for like five years I didn’t know that he was an amazing piano player. He can transpose anything on sight, and now he plays jazz gigs out front all the time, so it’s turned into a club.