Jesse Michaels was born in Berkeley, California in 1969 and is the son of novelist Leonard Michaels.
At 12 years old, Jesse played guitar and sang in the Berkeley band, S.A.G., with Aaron Cometbus and Jeff Ott (who would later go on to form Crimpshrine).
Jesse went to school at Berkeley High School, in California and then moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Jesse played drums in several Pennsylvania metal bands (such as Corpse Grinder and Necropolis) and sang for the hardcore band Screaming Outlash.
Jesse returned to Berkeley, California and started the legendary punk/ska group Operation Ivy in 1987 with Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong (Lint). Jesse sang lead vocals on most of Operation Ivy’s songs and also wrote most of their lyrics.
After Operation Ivy disbanded, Jesse played in the band Big Rig and then in Common Rider until 2002.
He released a solo acoustic song on the Experiments In Audio Rocketry compilation in 2004.
In 2008, he formed the group Classics Of Love with members of Hard Girls.