Editing 39/Smooth (section)

==Release==
===Promotion and packaging===
In February 1990, Armstrong dropped out of high school shortly prior to the release of their debut album,<ref name=Gaar37/> in order to focus exclusively on Green Day.<ref>Spitz 2010, p. 46</ref> Around this time, as Dirnt and Kiffmeyer focused on working and education, a tour for the band spanning 45 dates across the US was scheduled.{{#tag:ref|Myers said the 1990 US tour was booked by Armstrong,<ref name=Myers63/> while Spitz said it was done by Kiffmeyer,<ref name=Spitz67/> and Gaar simply said it was self-booked.<ref name=Gaar39/>|group="nb"}} To raise money for the trek, the members took up odd jobs.<ref name=Myers63/> Lookout Records released ''39/Smooth'' on April 13, 1990,<ref name=NMEcelebrate>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/green-day-celebrate-39-smooth-anniversary-with-never-before-seen-video-from-1990-3432183|title=Green Day celebrate '39/Smooth' anniversary with never-before-seen video from 1990|work=[[NME]]|author=Duran, Anagricel|date=April 19, 2023|access-date=April 15, 2024|archive-date=March 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240317154249/https://www.nme.com/news/music/green-day-celebrate-39-smooth-anniversary-with-never-before-seen-video-from-1990-3432183|url-status=live}}</ref> issued on the vinyl and cassette formats.<ref name=Myers60/> It was released around the time of albums by the likes of their contemporaries [[Bad Religion]], [[NOFX]], [[the Offspring]] and [[Pennywise (band)|Pennywise]], all of whom were frequently playing shows, though were ignored by major publications and record labels. Attitudes towards [[alternative music]] were slowly shifting, as Myers remarked, "but not ''that'' quickly. Green Day and the punks' true time was yet to come, and for now they existed in a vacuum unaffected by traditional rock 'n' roll conceits. ... [''39/Smooth''] was released and life carried on."<ref>Myers 2006, p. 62</ref> As Lookout Records did not have enough funds for promotion, [[word of mouth]] about ''39/Smooth'' spread from the small amount of reviews it earned in zines.<ref name=Gaar40>Gaar 2006, p. 40</ref>

When the members of Green Day were wrapping up the production of the album, the word "smooth" was in frequent rotation, and they wanted to use it in the title. It was during this time that Alen, Armstrong's oldest sibling, had turned 39, which they jokingly wanted to use it in the name as well as they were unsure if they would get the chance to make another album. The album was eventually titled ''39/Smooth''.<ref name="Myers60" /> The cover of ''39/Smooth'', which was designed by [[Jesse Michaels]] of Operation Ivy, depicts a black-and-white image of a woman in a cemetery.<ref name=Gaar36/> Michael Roffman of ''[[Consequence of Sound]]'' said the cover was "a little eerie" which he attributed to the shining tree branches seen in the image.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2016/10/ranking-every-green-day-album-from-worst-to-best/full-post/|title=Ranking: Every Green Day Album from Worst to Best|website=[[Consequence of Sound]]|author=Roffman, Michael|date=October 7, 2016|access-date=April 18, 2024|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012000726/https://consequenceofsound.net/2016/10/ranking-every-green-day-album-from-worst-to-best/full-post/|archive-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref> Out of all of the band's albums, Myers remarked that its [[monochrome]] and somber nature made it stand out as the "least Green Day-''looking''" cover. [[Aaron Cometbus]], editor of the ''[[Cometbus]]'' [[zine]], created some additional artwork for the sleeve; Myers said his "recognizable {{notatypo|cartoony}} pen-and-ink style came to define the band's early works and nicely complemented the content within."<ref name=Myers64>Myers 2006, p. 61</ref> The back of the sleeve featured three photographs, shot by Murray Bowles, of Green Day performing at Gilman. Accompanying the images were cartoon illustrations, done by Michaels, which included keys, [[safety pin]]s, a [[matchbox]] and faces of monsters. A martini glass can also be seen, which Gaar said was a comment on the no-alcohol policy enforced at Gilman. The lyric sheet included in the sleeve included an alleged letter from [[major label]] [[I.R.S. Records]], who claimed to have an interest in the band, saying they were best act from the [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area]] since the emergence of the [[Dead Kennedys]]. In addition to this was two response letters, one from Kiffmeyer and other from Livermore; Gaar said the I.R.S. letter was forged as the result of Kiffmeyer having located some stationery belonging to the label from a trash receptacle. Around two years after the album's release, Livermore received threatening letters from I.R.S. for the incident, and apologized to them.<ref name=Gaar36/>

===US tour and related events===
[[File:John Kiffmeyer 1990.png|thumb|[[John Kiffmeyer]] performing with Green Day at [[Pinole Valley High School]] in 1990]]
To assist the release of ''39/Smooth'', Green Day appeared at several Gilman gigs, some that served as benefit shows for Lookout or fanzines in the area, namely ''Cometbus''.<ref name=Spitz67/> One show also included a May 1990 performance at Pinole Valley High School, who were hosting local acts for [[List of food days|Foreign Food Day]].<ref name=Gaar38>Gaar 2006, p. 38</ref> The day after Dirnt graduated from that high school, the band embarked on the aforementioned 45-date US tour.<ref name=Myers63/> They used a van that was bought from Armstrong's brother, and was refurbished as to have more space to sleep and store their equipment. They were accompanied by Hughes, who served as their roadie.<ref name=Spitz67/>{{#tag:ref|<!-- the person, not the publication -->Cometbus also joined Green Day for the US trek as their roadie, documenting the journey in an issue of ''Cometbus''.<ref name=Gaar39/> Gaar said there was a map of the country, with markers denoting eventful instances of the tour, such as when Armstrong was stung by [[poison ivy]] and required medical attention or when Dirnt had broken his instrument in half thanks to a split [[guitar strap]].<ref>Gaar 2006, pp. 39–40</ref>|group="nb"}} It started on June 19, 1990, on the West Coast, going up to Canada, before returning to the US, from where they journeyed to the East Coast, travelling to Florida, moving to the Midwest and ending in California.<ref name=Gaar39/>{{#tag:ref|While playing a gig in Minnesota, Armstrong bonded with attendee Adrienne Nesser. She would later move to California and marry Armstrong. Alongside this, Green Day were invited to record songs for [[Skene! Records]], who were based in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]].<ref name=Gaar40/> They recorded at a local studio in the area;<ref name=Myers66/> in lieu of newer tracks, the band opted to tackle Sweet Children-era material. Dirnt explained that they preferred to be recording and as they were "still playing those songs ... it was like, 'Hey, we've got studio time — let's record 'em!{{single double}}<ref name=Gaar40/> As the songs were released as the ''[[Sweet Children (EP)|Sweet Children]]'' (1990) EP, fans mistakenly thought it was the band's first release,<ref name=Gaar40/> which Livermore attributed to the poor sound quality.<ref name=Myers66>Myers 2006, p. 66</ref>|group="nb"}}

They played in a variety of punk clubs, house parties and bars,<ref name=Spitz67>Spitz 2010, p. 67</ref> with crowd sizes varying from 50 people to 500.<ref name=Myers63>Myers 2006, p. 63</ref> Venues that scheduled the band received contracts from them with two requests – that nourishment and accommodation was prioritized over money, and did ask for a minimum of $100 if there was enough to spare, though stipulated this was not a requirement. The band stated on the contracts the places "do not have to give us any of these things, of course we don't have to tune before we play either."<ref name=Gaar39/> Funds that Green Day made from the performances ended up going to paying for food and buying gas.<ref>Myers 2006, p. 65</ref> To aid their income, they bought inexpensive shirts from local business, which were then [[Printing|printed]] with their band logo and promptly put on sale at the gigs. They also gave a discount to attendees to bring their own shirts to the shows for printing.<ref name=Gaar40>Gaar 2006, p. 40</ref>

Though the tour was seen as a success by the band, Kiffmeyer did not want to go through the hassle of such an endeavor again and instead enrolled in [[California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt|Humboldt State College]] in [[Arcata, California]] later in the year. He did not outright tell them that he was departing.<ref>Spitz 2010, p. 70</ref> Armstrong was surprised by this as he only found out through <!-- the person, not the publication -->Cometbus. Afterwards, Armstrong was unsure if he wanted to continue the band.<ref name=Gaar43>Gaar 2006, p. 43</ref> Dave EC of [[Filth (band)|Filth]] and [[the Wynona Riders]] joined Green Day, though left after a few weeks.<ref>Myers 2006, p. 68</ref> Armstrong remembered [[Tré Cool]] and learned that he was free.<ref>Spitz 2010, pp. 70–71</ref> Cool had been playing with the Lookouts since he was 12.<ref name=Spitz52>Spitz 2010, p. 52</ref> At age 16, Cool was a regular of the Gilman scene, going to parties and playing with various acts.<ref>Spitz 2010, pp. 55–56</ref> Through this, he became familiar with Armstrong and Dirnt.<ref>Spitz 2010, p. 56</ref> Cool ultimately joined Green Day in late 1990.<ref>Myers 2006, pp. 67, 68</ref>

The later CD release of ''39/Smooth'' featured tracks from the two prior EPs, in addition to I Want to Be Alone, which was previously released on a ''Flipside'' magazine various artist compilation in 1990.<ref>Gaar 2006, pp. 36–37</ref> This version was retitled ''[[1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours]]'', which omitted the letters from Kiffmeyer, Livermore and I.R.S.,<ref name=Gaar37>Gaar 2006, p. 37</ref> and included the ''1,000 Hours'' and ''Slappy'' EPs.<ref name=1039comp>{{cite AV media notes|title=1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours|author=Green Day|year=1991|type=sleeve|publisher=[[Lookout Records]]|id=Lookout 22CD}}</ref> In late 2005, citing a royalty dispute, the band took control of their Lookout Records-era releases, including ''1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours'', second studio album ''[[Kerplunk (album)|Kerplunk]]'' (1991), and the ''1,000 Hours'' and ''Slappy'' EPs.<ref>Spitz 2010, p. 180</ref> "Going to Pasalacqua" was pressed on a [[Phonograph record|seven-inch vinyl record]], with "Road to Acceptance" and "Disappearing Boy" as the B-sides, as part of the ''Ultimate Collectors 7" Vinyl Singles Box Set'' (2009) collection.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Ultimate Collectors 7" Vinyl Singles Box Set|author=Green Day|year=2009|type=sleeve|publisher=[[Reprise Records]]|id=517676-7}}</ref> In the lead up to the ''[[Green Day: Rock Band]]'' (2010) video game, Cool said that while the [[Master recordings|master tapes]] for ''39/Smooth'' still exist, the process to digitize them would [[Sticky-shed syndrome|destroy the tape]] given their age.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/05/06/green-day-s-tre-cool-talks-about-green-day-rock-band-future-dlc.aspx|title=Green Day's Tre Cool Talks About Green Day: Rock Band, Future DLC|magazine=[[Game Informer]]|author=Helgeson, Matt|date=May 6, 2010|access-date=May 6, 2024|archive-date=May 8, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100508235333/http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/05/06/green-day-s-tre-cool-talks-about-green-day-rock-band-future-dlc.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>