Lookout! Records

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Lookout! Records is an independent record label based in Berkeley, California. The label was formed in 1987 by Larry Livermore and David Hayes. Hayes left in 1989 and started Very Small Records (also known as Too Many Records for some time), leaving Lookout to Livermore, who sold it in 1997 to former mailroom assistant Chris Appelgren.

From the start they mainly put out records by punk bands but gradually expanded to include various types of pop punk, hardcore and indie rock. Former Lookout bands who have since achieved major label success include Green Day, Rancid, and The Donnas.

In recent years, many of the key creators of Lookout's back catalog have been rescinding their master rights from the label, citing breach of contract over unpaid royalties. Amongst the bands that have taken their masters from Lookout! and reissued them on other labels are Screeching Weasel (on Asian Man), Avail (on Jade Tree), Pansy Division (on Alternative Tentacles), Blatz and Filth (on Life Is Abuse Records), The Riverdales (on Asian Man), The Queers (on Asian Man), The Lillingtons (on Red Scare Records), and Enemy You (also on Red Scare). On August 1, 2005, Green Day became the biggest former Lookout! act to rescind their masters from Lookout!, forcing the label to lay off two-thirds of its staff and halt new releases for the remainder of the year. [1] Operation Ivy rescinded their masters on May 04, 2006 and no label has yet picked up the distribution rights for the album. [2]