Signed to Lookout Records and released Hectic

In January 1988, the band signed to Lookout Records and released its debut 7-inch record, Hectic , which became one of Lookout’s best-selling records. By this time, Operation Ivy, along with Crimpshrine and the Mr. T Experience , was one of the most successful bands from the punk scene at 924 Gilman Street. The band began playing a number of performances and embarked on a tour across the United States . By mid-1988, the group began selling out larger venues and the pressure to sign to major labels began to rise. With a budding reputation as an excellent live band, EMI offered Operation Ivy a major-label deal. Unsure of how to react to the prospect of success, because of both their independent politics and local-mindedness, the band chose to break up rather than compromise their intentions.