Which independent label released Green Day's early records?

Lookout! Records released Green Day’s early records. The independent California label issued the band’s early EPs and albums before Green Day moved to major-label Reprise Records.

Larry Livermore, a central figure in the East Bay punk scene, signed the group after seeing an early performance. Lookout! released the 1,000 Hours EP in 1989, followed by the debut album 39/Smooth in 1990 and the Slappy EP later that year. In 1991, those recordings were gathered with additional material on the compilation 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours.

Lookout! also released Kerplunk in 1991, the album that expanded Green Day’s underground following and attracted attention from major labels. After producer Rob Cavallo helped connect the band with Reprise, Green Day signed a major-label deal and recorded Dookie.

A common mix-up is Reprise Records, which released Dookie and later albums, or Epitaph, which handled some later reissues in certain markets. Lookout! is the canonical answer for Green Day’s original independent-label period.