On this day (4/13) in 1990, Green Day came onto the scene with their very first LP, 39/Smooth.
The band were still teenagers at the dawn of the 90s, but they were hungry. This adolescent fervor drives the album’s ten tracks forward like a cannonball. Green Day posted about this initial release on Instagram:
“Green Day’s 10 song debut studio album on Lookout! Records. It was later reissued in 1991 under the title 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours, which included their earlier EPs “1,000 Hours” and “Slappy” Features original drummer John Kiffmeyer a.k.a (Al Sobrante) on the drums. Inside handwritten by Billie Joe and Artwork designs by Jesse Michaels and released on Lookout! by Larry Livermore who also did their first 7” records and was in the band “the Lookouts” with Tré Cool… Recorded in a few days over New Years and released April 13th 1990. This never before seen video is in a backyard in Oakland, CA is a few weeks before that 3/25/90.”
The video mentioned in their post can be seen here, and it shows a youthful Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt tearing through a small outdoor gig with the band’s first drummer, John Kiffmeyer.
Released April 13, 1990.