From the title downwards, HBO’s upcoming drama Vinyl is clearly an homage to one of the most fetishised periods of music: 1970s New York, where the carpet was thick, the coke was pure and the only thing louder than the guitars were the suits.
The city was a now-mythical crucible for three of the most vibrant styles of music ever – punk, disco and hip-hop – all of it borne out of soul and garage rock. No lesser talents than Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger are pitching into this heady mix, the former directing the pilot and the pair co-producing. The show follows Richie Finestra, played by Bobby Cannavale, a record exec trying to give his label, American Century, a kick up the backside with a New York Dolls-style punk band. Co-stars include Olivia Wilde, Juno Temple and Jagger’s son James.
The first trailer is now here, and it’s full of classic Scorsese touches: white powders, voiceovers, guns and people punching each other. All to be expected of its writers, too: Terence Winter of The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire and The Wolf of Wall Street and Breaking Bad’s George Mastras.
Vinyl’s 10-episode run is set to debut at some point in 2016, airing on Sky Atlantic in the UK.
