''Slappy'' is the second EP by American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

band

Green Day Green Day is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Rodeo, California, in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, with drummer Tré Cool joining in 1990. In 1994, their majo ...

. It was released in 1990 through

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 Operatio ...

. Upon its release, several different colors of vinyl were available in limited quantities. Frontman and guitarist

Billie Joe Armstrong Billie Joe Armstrong (born February 17, 1972) is an American musician and actor. He is best known for being the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Green Day, which he co-founded with Mike Dirnt in 1987. He is als ...

cited the extended play as the one on which Green Day began to find its sound. The dog on the cover was known as Mickey. "Slappy" was a nickname given to him by bassist

Mike Dirnt Michael Ryan Pritchard (born May 4, 1972), better known by his stage name Mike Dirnt, is an American rock musician who is the co-founder, bassist, backing vocalist, and occasional lead vocalist of Green Day. He has also played in several other ...

's friend Jason Relva (the subject of Green Day's later song

J.A.R. "J.A.R." (alternatively titled "J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva)") is a song by the American rock band Green Day. Written by bassist Mike Dirnt about a friend who committed suicide in a car crash, the song was a previously unreleased track from the '' ...

). The EP includes one cover, "

Knowledge Knowledge is an Declarative knowledge, awareness of facts, a Knowledge by acquaintance, familiarity with individuals and situations, or a Procedural knowledge, practical skill. Knowledge of facts, also called propositional knowledge, is oft ...

", which was originally by influential California punk band

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 I ...

. All four tracks were later included on the compilation album ''

1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours ''1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours'' is a compilation album comprising early recordings by American rock band Green Day, released October 1, 1991, on Lookout Records. Often erroneously referred to as the band's debut album, the compilation combines ...

'' in 1991.

Liner notes

Recorded in a few hours on April 20, 1990, at Art of Ears Studio with Andro Engineering and mixed April 23 in a few more hours. Produced by Andro and Green Day. Mastered by John Golden at K-Disc, Hollywood. Front cover photo by

Al Sobrante John Kiffmeyer (born July 11, 1969), also known professionally as Al Sobrante, is an American cinematographer and retired musician and songwriter. He is the former drummer for the punk rock band Green Day, leaving in 1990 and replaced by Tré Cool. ...

, back Sean Hughes Layout and "Green Day Bitz" by Aaron Cometbus. Green Day's ''

39/Smooth ''39/Smooth'' is the debut studio album by the American Rock music, rock band Green Day, released on April 13, 1990, by Lookout Records. After finalizing their line-up, the band played frequent shows at the 924 Gilman Street venue, where they st ...

'' L.P. and ''

1,000 Hours ''1,000 Hours'' is the debut EP by American rock band Green Day, released in April 1989 through Lookout Records. Through a shared interest in music, school friends Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt formed the band Sweet Children. With the add ...

'' E.P. were also available on Lookout.

Album information

"Paper Lanterns" was a popular Green Day song and a live staple for many years and was brought back for the 2010 leg of the

21st Century Breakdown World Tour 21st Century Breakdown World Tour was a headlining concert tour by American Rock music, rock band Green Day in support of the group's eighth studio album, ''21st Century Breakdown'', which was released in May 2009. The tour began with an eight- ...

. "Why Do You Want Him?" was the first song Armstrong wrote,Green Day Bits, ''1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours'' liner notes. Retrieved 2011-07-30

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

News Raw interview October 16, 1995. Retrieved 2011-07-30 back when he was fourteen. He expressed in a 2010 interview that contrary to the common belief, the song is not about his stepfather. The title "409 in Your Coffeemaker" is taken from a prank Armstrong pulled on his teacher. The prank was that he put some Clorox cleaner in his teacher’s coffeemaker, and it was known as Formula 409, hence the name of the song. It was later re-recorded during the ''

Dookie ''Dookie'' is the third studio album by the American rock band Green Day, released on February 1, 1994, by Reprise Records. The band's first collaboration with producer Rob Cavallo, it was recorded in 1993 at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, Calif ...

'' (1994) sessions, and was released as a B-Side on the " Basket Case" CD single in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. "Knowledge" was originally performed by

for their 1989 album

Energy Energy () is the physical quantity, quantitative physical property, property that is transferred to a physical body, body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of Work (thermodynamics), work and in the form of heat and l ...

. Green Day still performs the song live, often inviting fans onstage to play the band members' instruments for them during the performance of the song. All four tracks from ''Slappy'' were included on the compilation album ''

'' in 1991. ''Slappy'' remained in print until August 2005, when Green Day removed its catalog from Lookout! Records. Since March 24, 2009, ''Slappy'' (along with ''

'') has been back in print as a bonus to the vinyl reissue of the ''

'' (1990) album. However, a possible error may have been made as ''Slappy'' artwork is now tinted pink instead of dark red.

Track listing

Personnel

—

lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

—

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...

John Kiffmeyer John Kiffmeyer (born July 11, 1969), also known professionally as Al Sobrante, is an American cinematographer and retired musician and songwriter. He is the former drummer for the punk rock band Green Day, leaving in 1990 and replaced by Tré Cool. ...

—

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

Aaron Cometbus Aaron Elliott (born May 20, 1968), better known as Aaron Cometbus, is an American musician, author, songwriter, roadie, and magazine editor, best known as the creator of the punk zine ''Cometbus''. Career Born in Berkeley, California, Cometbus ...

— backing vocals, "teeth" on "Knowledge"

References

{{Authority control 1990 EPs Green Day EPs Lookout! Records EPs Reprise Records EPs Albums produced by Andy Ernst