Green Noise Records

Love this spot. Brought my 3 year old and we were enthusiastically greeted by the guys here (a woman with a child is often treated like kryptonite in this scenario). Found the records we were looking for (my kid’s got a thing for Chryssie Hynde, I don’t know), plus a few more! Definitely coming back.

First, and foremost, I fucking love Green Noise. It is hands down my favorite record store in Portland. The selection is very specific to my tastes and Ken is thee chilliest dude you will ever meet. They mostly specialize in punk (’77/​pop punk/​power pop/​hardcore etc.) with indie coming in at a close second. They also have a nice selection of records spanning from rock to metal to jazz even some ambient stuff, but you have to put a little more work into finding those. The search is nonetheless worth it. Don’t put off buying a record either. It’ll be gone by the next time you go in. All in all great service, great prices (Ken won’t rip you off, unlike Ebay) and they’re always playing great music. I can’t recommend this place enough. PS, Ken owns Dirtnap Records, and if you like music at all you will buy everything they’ve ever put out.

This location has moved to Foster Powell neighborhood. Facebook ‘em.
I loved this spot! It was a quick walk from the house and a place I could escape to and just search for vinyl. It always brought back memories of every record shop I’ve ever visited throughout the years. That rush of searching for ‘the perfect’ find. I shop for my friends who dj and love records as well. Great prices.
I never usually had a set need when I went in. I just like to browse and grab a beer and slice across the street after. Or a super treat to Shut Up and Eat next door.
Owner is a super nice dude and always offered assistance or help with requests.

Green Noise Records is a great place to find new and used punk records, cds, and 8-​tracks, cassettes, and zines. Ken, the owner, also owns Dirtnap Records and so always has lots of records from their catalog. It’s fairly small but space is used efficiently so there’s a lot of music in stock. Prices are good too.

This place is pretty cool. I really like their used vinyl section because I like being compelled to dig though mix of artists rather than just going right to my favorite genre and getting completely lost, therefore missing out on something totally rad. I noticed some of the records included handwritten content reviews and anecdotes from someone on staff? I thought that was really unique and fun. I totally got the whole punk, hardcore, and metal vibe from being in there, but I still walked out with some kick ass soul, jazz, and classic country records too! I was a little out of it and overwhelmed the day I stopped by, so I’m sure I missed out on a lot of other special little things that make this place a must-​visit destination for anyone who loves vinyl. I would definitely go back, and recommend it to any of my fellow obsessive collector — I mean, music enthusiast buddies!

charmingly grungy and grung (ily?) charming…
i feel like if templeton the rat from charlotte’s web were a human with a record player, and had a hankering for some new additions to what i’m sure would already be a stupendous record collection, he would post up at this gem on gladstone…
cheers to everyone’s searching endeavors

Great record store, catering heavily to the punk, hardcore, and metal crowds. Prices were fair and I had a couple of good finds when I went in. I’ll definitely stop by next time I’m in town.
As a side note, their little parking lot is a total nightmare. I’d recommend just parking on the street.

Recommended to this shop because of my friend Kaci, and simply ordered online, went in, and picked up. Quick and clean with no wait or hassle!

If you like records, genuinely nice people, and shopping local, you MUST go to Green Noise Records! Tons (and tons!) of eclectic punk rock (old-​new), an amazing bargain bin, and online shopping if you’re outside of Portland.
Ken, the owner, is sincerely one of the nicest people I’ve met in Portland. An honest to goodness good guy.
So get your ass over there — and plan to spend a lot of time! There’s a lot to look at.
See you there!

So many vinyls!
I was able to pick up a couple of records that I couldn’t find at Jackpot or EM. I even found a first release of Big Black’s «Lungs.» When I bought my haul, I was given a free Bad Sports album. I hadn’t heard of them before, but they’re part of the in-​house label Dirtnap.
Big fan of this place.

Green Noise is rapidly becoming my favorite place to shop for new and used vinyl. The sign brags that they are the best record shop on Gladstone (a joke maybe), but I’m inclined to say they’re one of the best, period. Selection is mostly punk, alternative, and soul, but the prices are refreshingly modest and I can always find something of value in the stacks of LPs. One of the local album buying treasures, to be sure!

I have never walked in, but my bank statement shows that I buy plenty. Love the quick turnaround. Twice I have rec’d an email stating that they did not have what I had ordered and twice they have thrown in a little extra for the trouble. Highly recommend.

Green Noise Records makes me want to move to Portland just to be closer to this shop! They carry all the best underground records from a bunch of small indepedent record labes from all over the country and beyond. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable, helpful and good looking. All of their stock is available for purchase online, too. They ship fast and charge dirt cheap shipping rates!

Admittedly, I’ve yet to have the pleasure of visiting this shop in-​person.
However, I have done my fair share of online ordering from here and it is easily one of my favorite online shops to buy vinyl from
Reasonable shipping rates and the stuff arrives quickly as well.

Holy Punk Rock Shop Batman!
This is a perfect store for a kid like me…
I acquire most of my music from shows I see. I like the band, I buy their music. For the past 7 years, I have been buying mostly vinyl, as it is more special. You can’t duplicate a pressing, and you hasten to lend that sweet record out to your irresponsible friends that don’t know how to fondle vinyl properly. That being said, It’s sometimes hard to go to a Cramps show and pick up a record because they don’t exist any longer. Enter Green Noise.
I LOVE Music. I LOVE shopping. I HATE shopping for music. I find it too overwhelming. I want it all, I cannot pick. Luckily, Green Noise is Just the right size to stop that from happening. Two levels adorned with old show bills and posters of bands I adore, are great for inspiration.
The 1^st level was bins (mostly vinyl, some Cd’s) stuffed with old punk bands I loved, and newer Garage Bands that I am making room in my heart for. (A lot of local!!– Its more than amusing to pick up a bands record only to find out that you were at their house for a party last weekend.) 2^nd level was more vinyl, but not so much on the punk/​garage bias. Everything reasonably priced around $ 10-​$ 12.
I found my golden goose quickly, as everything is arranged in a sensible manner. The new arrival bin is definitely worth a perusal. The best part? I didn’t feel an ounce of judgment or pretension coming from the dude working the shop on my choice of purchases, as I am acutely aware that no self respecting «punk» should ever be caught dead purchasing a post-​Danzig Live Misfits album.

I’m giving this 5 stars based on the fact that they do what they do very well. They have a lean toward punk. Pop, grind, thrash, classic, etc… They have a very solid stock of the genre, and a VERY friendly and knowledgeable. Also the pricing hasn’t seemed to all be eBay checked.
They also seem to stock the recent releases from most noise, art, and indy genres. Mostly Midheaven/​Revolver distro type stuff it seems.
The reason why this place makes my list though is that there is a small section of used stock up the stairs; as I’m not really looking for punk records most of the time. The selection is random as hell, but updated frequently. I have found some GREAT used things here (Barton Smith 1 & 2, Tree People, Amon Duul, etc.).
One of those spots that takes frequent stops to pay off, but it’s got a great vibe to it. And I love to support these folks, as they seem like great folks.

Great spot for punk/​hardcore and metal records.
I shopped around a lot of the pdx record stores and found some great stuff here! Guys were really nice and knowledgeable.
If I lived in Portland, I would be there all the time.
Place is small, but organized well and if you are looking for anything in particular, I can bet that employees will know if they have it and where.

So I was online helping Ken out (as Amy A suggested) because I can’t do it in person. Turns out the Green Noise’s web store charged me a little too much for shipping to the Frozen North. Not enough that anyone would notice, but being the quality guy he is Ken just refunded that little over charge as soon as my records were shipped out. That’s the kind of honesty and care that builds loyalty. Makes me wish I could do all my online music shopping with Green Noise and Dirtnap.
Now where’s my Mean Jeans? I needs it!

Green Noise is definitely the place to go for punk rock and garage rock. Seriously.
(Full disclosure: I used to work here. Actually, I might still work here if more people would get their illegal-​mp3-​downloading-​butts down to the store and buy something. But alas, no, you’re all content with clicking hither and thither at the expense of good ol’ shops like this one.)
Umemployed bitterness aside, this store is sincere in its love of music. Ken has cultivated something beautiful between those high walls lined with posters of some of the best punk and garage bands. You might also never meet a record store owner as unpretentious and genuine as this dude. He loves the stuff he sells and puts out (with his label, Dirtnap). Imagine being in an underground punk rock band, stuck playing in basements, or in exchange for drink tickets at bars. All’s you want to do is to have someone recognize that your art is not just a bunch of loud chords strung together by happenstance. Then Ken walks up to you and says something akin to, «Hey, I like the way you sound. I’d like to put out a recording of yours.» Damn.
He makes dreams come try for crying out loud! When’s the last time you made a dream come true?
Exactly.
Help Ken out and go buy a record!

My tastes run wide and my fascination with deep obscurity is kinda sick, so naturally, I tend to wanna nest in places like Exiled or Mississippi Records, but Green Noise is certainly one of the only three PDX record stores that I really care about. It is the best place for straight-​up punk rock or garage rock consumers in Portland.
Oh, sure… There’s also Discourage Records, but I tend to think of that more as a museum than an actual store. I don’t care to compete for ultra-​rarities at any cost. But I like to keep up with what’s new, and Green Noise is plenty good for that.
This is not the place to go for murky Antipodean psych-​pop or minimal synth or archival African proto-​hi-​life records, but for the raw three-​chord sounds ranging from the Count Five to The Pagans to 80s hardcore (plus some powerpop), this place is pretty crucial. Lotsa 90s garagepunk and hardcore in the used 7″ section, and it didn’t appear to be totally picked-​through by some eBay prospectors. (Of course, now that I mention it, it’s as good as gone now!)
Up the stairs are some non-​punk records, and even some cassettes and 8-​tracks. It’s the kinda place where you might find the self-​titled Montrose album or «Deface the Music» by Utopia or «Theme from a Summer Place» by Percy Faith & His Orchestra… all good records for a mere dollar or three! So, it’s worth a look for a few minutes at least.