Very Small Records was an

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

, formed in 1989 by David Hayes, co-founder and former co-owner of

Lookout Records Lookout Records (stylized as Lookout! Records) was an independent record label, initially based in Laytonville, California and later in Berkeley, focusing on punk rock. Established in 1987, the label is best known for having released Operation I ...

. The name of the label was changed to Too Many Records around 1994, but was changed back around 1997. The label terminated in 2003.

History

Formation

was first founded in

Laytonville, California Laytonville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Mendocino County, California, United States. It is located north-northwest of Willits, at an elevation of . The population was 1,152 at the 2020 census, down from 1,227 at the 2010 census. Geogr ...

in the spring of 1987 as a device to put out the first album by

The Lookouts The Lookouts were an American punk rock band that existed from 1985 to 1990 on Iron Peak, a remote rural mountain community outside Laytonville, California, United States. The members were Larry Livermore on guitar and vocals, Kain Kong (Kain ...

, a punk rock band featuring

Larry Livermore Lawrence Hayes (born October 28, 1947), better known by his stage name Larry Livermore, is an American singer, musician, record producer, and author, best known as the co-founder of Lookout Records. Biography In 1977, Hayes began to attend pu ...

(née Lawrence Hayes).Dave Thompson, ''Alternative Rock: Third Ear — The Essential Listening Companion.'' Backbeat Books, 2000; pg. 108. Following the release of the LP the label would remain dormant for the rest of 1987. The year was an exciting one in the

East Bay The East Bay is the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area and includes cities along the eastern shores of the San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay. The region has grown to include inland communities in Alameda and Contra Costa countie ...

, however, with the explosion of a vibrant musical scene around the

Gilman Street Project The Alternative Music Foundation located at 924 Gilman Street, often referred to by its fans simply as "Gilman", is a non-profit, all-ages, collectively organized music club. It is located in the West Berkeley area of Berkeley, California, abo ...

, closely associated with the influential monthly punk fanzine ''

Maximumrocknroll ''Maximumrocknroll'', often written as ''Maximum Rocknroll'' and usually abbreviated as ''MRR'', is a not-for-profit monthly zine of punk subculture. Based in San Francisco, ''MRR'' focuses on punk rock and hardcore music, and primarily featu ...

(MRR).'' Livermore decided to launch Lookout as a general record label as a means of documenting the new Gilman bands, entering into a business partnership with David Hayes (no relation), who had previously been instrumental in preparing a compilation album released by ''MRR.'' In January 1988 the new Lookout burst into the world with the simultaneous release of four 7-inch EP records, including releases by legendary

groups

Crimpshrine Crimpshrine was an American punk rock band from Berkeley, California. The group was formed in 1982 by Aaron Cometbus, founder of the seminal punk rock zine '' Cometbus'', and future Operation Ivy vocalist Jesse Michaels. They grew out of the ...

Isocracy An isocracy is a form of government where all citizens have equal political power. The term derives from Greek ἴσος meaning "equal" and κρατεῖν meaning "to have power", or "to rule". An Isocracy is based on a legal right of isonomi ...

, and

Operation Ivy Operation Ivy was the eighth series of American nuclear tests, coming after '' Tumbler-Snapper'' and before '' Upshot–Knothole''. The two explosions were staged in late 1952 at Enewetak Atoll in the Pacific Proving Ground in the Marshall Is ...

. After two years of rapid-fire releases, Livermore and Hayes would soon suffer an acrimonious parting of the ways. David Hayes left to start his own Berkeley-based label, which he named Very Small Records, with Livermore retaining the name and back-catalog of Lookout — which would ultimately explode in popularity, powered by such associated East Bay bands as

and

Green Day Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, together with bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt. For most of the band's career, they have been a ...

. Very Small Records, by way of contrast, would remain very small, continuing to produce a great number of its releases on the comparatively unprofitable 7-inch vinyl format.

Name changes

In 1994 Hayes changed the name of his label from Very Small Records to Too Many Records."Very Small Records,"
www.discogs.com The label would remain under the new name until 1997, at which time the old name and logo was restored.

Termination

The label's final record, catalog number VSR-88, was released in

2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, disintegrated during reentry into Atmosphere of Earth, Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an 2002– ...

.David Edward Hayes
"Very Small Records Hella Retro Hoodie,"
www.kickstarter.com/ Funded Nov. 20, 2011.

Artists

* 23 More Minutes * 3 Finger Spread * Big Comb * Cause * Clabberhag * Corrupted Morals * Counterclock * Dwarf Bitch *

Econochrist Econochrist was an American political hardcore punk band active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They moved from Arkansas to the San Francisco Bay Area to become part of the punk music scene there. The group was composed of singer Ben Sizem ...

* Elmer * False Sacrament * The Flies * Hellworms * Horny Mormons * Humpy * Intifada *

Jawbreaker Jawbreaker may refer to: * Gobstopper, a hard candy with multiple layers Arts and entertainment * ''Jawbreakers'' (album), an album by Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Harry "Sweets" Edison * Jawbreaker (band), an American rock band * Jawbreakers (duo) ...

Less Than Jake Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida, formed in 1992. The band consists of Chris DeMakes (guitars, vocals), Roger Lima (bass, vocals), Matt Yonker (drums), Buddy Schaub (trombone), and Peter "JR" Wasilewski (saxoph ...

* The Lizards * Logical Nonsense * Lopez * Meatjack * Nar * Nuisance * One Eye Open *

Pinhead Gunpowder Pinhead Gunpowder is an American punk rock band that formed in East Bay, California, in 1991. The band currently consists of Aaron Cometbus (drums, lyrics), Bill Schneider (bass), Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, vocals) and Jason White (guitar ...

Plaid Retina Plaid Retina was an American punk rock band from Visalia, California, United States, formed in 1986 and active until 1996. History The beginning The history of Plaid Retina begins in 1984, in Visalia, a small city in California Central Valley, ...

* Pounded Clown * Schlong * Sea Pigs *

Sewer Trout Sewer Trout was an American punk rock band, formed in Sacramento, California in 1985. The group's uptempo bass lines and fast-paced songs would serve as a basis and influence for many of the later California pop punk bands of the 1990s. The band c ...

* Sick-N-Tired *

Sleep Sleep is a sedentary state of mind and body. It is characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited Perception, sensory activity, reduced muscle activity and reduced interactions with surroundings. It is distinguished from wakefuln ...

* Soup * Toilet of Power * Velvet Elvis *

Voodoo Glow Skulls Voodoo Glow Skulls are an American ska punk band formed in 1988 in Riverside, California, by brothers Frank, Eddie, and Jorge Casillas and their longtime friend Jerry O'Neill. Voodoo Glow Skulls first played at backyard parties and later at Spa ...

References

External links

Official website
* Matt Sweating
''A History of East Bay Punk: An Interview with David Hayes''
''Transition Video Magazine,'' No. 2 (Oct. 2013). —Documentary video. {{Authority control Record labels established in 1989 2003 disestablishments in California American independent record labels Punk record labels 1989 establishments in California Companies based in Emeryville, California