Ep519: Inside Levitation, Greenway & Reverb Records w/ Harry Portnof

Update: 2025-10-13

Description

Record nerd Harry Portnof started Greenway Records, revived Reverb Appreciation Society, and now leads Levitation's label operations - today we discuss the elaborate vinyl variants and the clear passion for music the Levitation festival inspires.

Topics Include:

Harry Portnof runs Greenway Records, Levitation, and Reverberation Appreciation Society labels.
Dad blasted southern rock and Allman Brothers at excessive volumes throughout childhood.
Discovered dad's CD collection, dove deep into classic rock discographies.
Taught himself guitar in high school after getting kicked off tennis team.
Found grandmother's records in attic with broken turntable playing in mono.
Mesmerized by grooves holding information, felt more futuristic than digital files.
Got Project turntable in college, started seriously collecting vinyl records.
College dorm had file sharing programs to download everyone's music collections.
Became obsessed with seven-inch singles and exclusive B-side hunting on Discogs.
Studied accounting, got CPA, worked Manhattan while spending money on records.
Brooklyn DIY scene 2010-12: Death by Audio, Glasslands, 285 Kent venues thriving.
Third Man Records inspired with collectible releases, impossible to get from New York.
Playing in surf rock cover band The Midnight Snacks around Long Island.
Started Greenway with friend Joey's pop punk band, 300 hand-screened seven-inches sold.
Online forum of ten new labels supporting each other, Greenway only one remaining.
Artist Dan Curran created lino cut covers for first thirty Greenway releases.
Met LA Witch outside Music Hall, promised European tour records in two months.
LA Witch success led to more touring bands wanting Greenway releases.
Met Levitation founder Rob Fitzpatrick backstage at Desert Daze festival in California.
Pandemic hit, launched Levitation Sessions producing concert films with thirty bands.
Suddenly working with dream artists like Ty Segall and The Oh Sees.
Levitation started as Austin Psych Fest in 2008, became major three-day festival.
Flash flood disaster canceled festival one year despite bands and fans arriving.
Austin's psych legacy rooted in 13th Floor Elevators and Rocky Erickson era.
Levitation Sessions are filmed concerts; Live at Levitation are actual festival recordings.
King Gizzard bootleg program allows labels to press their live shows freely.
Learned vinyl manufacturing hands-on at New Jersey plant, experimenting with color pours.
Most proud of Frankie and the Witch Fingers KEXP recording for Record Store Day.
Market tightened post-pandemic, had to adjust pressing quantities and strategy accordingly.
Creates regional variants for Australia, UK, EU retailers using Precision Record Pressing.