Inside Greenway Records: New York’s most exciting indie label
Independence, in its truest form, has always been elusive, particularly within the music industry. Since the dawn of pop music, businessmen and executives have been keen to exploit the art form we all love for profit and personal gain. As a result, the music industry is often viewed as a bogeyman, ignoring creativity and art in favour of sales and commercial appeal. Contrary to popular belief, however, it does not have to be that way.
The last bastions of real artistic expression within the music industry come from the extensive network of independent artists and record labels, who create and publish music entirely on their own terms. One such label, New York’s Greenway Records, has been putting out fiercely independent releases for nearly a decade, providing a voice to artists like Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Acid Dad, and, most recently, Primitive Ring.
Independent labels have been around for decades, going back to the earliest origins of rock and roll music. However, it was in the wake of the punk rock boom that independent labels began to become more prevalent and important. In the spirit of punk, independents existed to press music that subverted the mainstream, music that any major label would have totally ignored.
These revolutionary independent releases had the power to change music forever, and they often did just that. A plethora of now-iconic groups, including the likes of Nirvana, Joy Division, and The Smiths, to name only a few, all began life signed to independent record labels, rejected by the mainstream music industry. Greenway Records is among the ever-growing landscape of independent record labels continuing that revolutionary spirit.
Greenway has been a cornerstone of Brooklyn’s independent, DIY music scene since its inception back in 2015. “We live in a society with so many ‘things’, and these things are effortlessly acquired at little cost and thrown away just as easily. Music is high art and should be treated as such,” Portnof told me back in 2017 when interviewed for the fanzine Headaches. Back then, Greenway was more or less a one-man operation, existing on DIY principles. In the intervening years, the operation has grown exponentially, but Portnof has always stuck to his independent ethos.
Giving Far Out a peek behind the curtain into the everyday operations at Greenway, the label boss shared some of his extensive insight into what it takes to cultivate a successful independent label. “I started Greenway Records because of my deep love for vinyl records – some might even call it an addiction,” he shared.
“My love for the format led me to learn everything about making records, from mastering and pressing to how they get distributed,” Portnof continued. “My goal was to gain a deeper understanding of the business all while collaborating with artists I admire and respect.”
The label’s growth over the past decade has been impressive, to say the least. Part of that success has come from Greenway’s ability to adapt to the various changes and challenges it has faced. Far from being the one-man operation it once was, the label now incorporates an office, multiple bands on the roster, a sister label, and even an international music festival.
“Greenway HQ is also the home of The Reverberation Appreciation Society, the record label side of psych festivals Levitation [hosted annually in Austin, Texas, and Angers, France]. In fact, I run both labels,” the New Yorker explained. “Our day-to-day is a lot of production management between both operations.”
Despite the growth of Greenway as a business, the focus has always remained on a love of the music itself. “We’re lucky to work with so many incredible artists,” the boss shared. “Depending on the time of year, we are deep in accounting to those artists, all while working with them directly on exciting new releases. Reviewing test pressings, when we have them, is my favourite part of any given day.”
Across the globe, there are countless independent record labels and DIY music makers publishing their own work, yet many of them will never reach the breadth of operations boasted by Greenway. Seemingly, the label’s staying power is largely due to its fearlessness to adapt. “My DIY mentality has evolved to now working with an amazing team where we do it together,” Portnof said, explaining how the day-to-day of the label has changed since its early days back in the 2010s.
“I think that’s the key to success: working hard yourself until you can’t do it on your own anymore.” Continuing, “We’re also lucky to have an amazing office space. We’re actually moving to a new office, and I’m excited to design another space that fosters creativity and the creation of great records. This is a big change from my early days working in bedrooms, attics, and coffee shops, and it has opened up many new possibilities.”
Money is, of course, an unavoidable part of any independent label, as it is with a business of any kind. Regardless of how DIY and independent you attempt to be, there has to be enough money to keep the lights on, pay the artists, and press the records. Independent labels like Greenway, however, are nowhere near as profit-driven as any of the three major record labels. The focus is always on the art, and that often gives musicians an unparalleled sense of freedom to create.
Independence in music is vitally important, now more than ever before. Every year, the music industry seems to strip more freedoms from its artists, culminating in an image that the industry is virtually impossible to break into unless you are heavily connected and willing to sell your soul. Labels like Greenway offer an important alternative to that, allowing artists of varying different styles and nationalities to have their work heard by an audience.
“The freedom to do things the way you see fit can be the reason why things work out,” the Greenway founder said, talking passionately about the importance of independence in music. “To follow passion without an outside influence is the best way to work; this is where creativity thrives and allows for a project to grow authentically and organically.”
It would appear that Greenway Records is set to continue that authentic, organic growth into its second decade. “2025 is the ten-year anniversary of Greenway,” shared the founder. “I’m most proud of the fact that after 10 years, Greenway is still making records and is as exciting as it was on day one.” Certainly, from a listener’s perspective, the label continues to release some of the most innovative and original records from across the industry, most often on beautiful, colourful vinyl, too.
Greenway Records represents so much more than simply a record label. It is an ode to what can be achieved with enough willpower and a genuine appreciation for art. For as long as there are independent DIY labels like Greenway knocking around, there will always be hope for artists and musicians creating original work without pandering to the multi-billion dollar music industry.
