Editing 39/Smooth (section)

===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/>