HBO's Vinyl paints dark and dirty 70's music industry

HBO’s original series “Vinyl”, executive produced by Martin Scorsese, Terence Winter and Mick Jagger, premiered last Sunday, Feb. 14.

The show proclaims itself to be centered around “sex, drugs and rock and roll.” So, in the much anticipated two hour premier, there was, shockingly, a good amount of sex, drugs and rock and roll. Mick Jagger’s fingerprints are present throughout the pilot, with huge chunks of camera time devoted to loud-blasting and adrenaline-filled concerts of up-and-coming bands.

The pilot, expertly directed by Scorsese himself, takes place in early 1970s New York City, a dark time and place for the music industry in which the main character, Richie Finestra (Bobby Cannavale), is a coke-addicted music executive trying to keep his once blockbuster company afloat. The pilot tracks Richie as he negotiates the selling rights of his company, American Century, to a German record label, PolyGram. Throughout these negotiations, Richie experiences many flashbacks to his earlier days in the music industry.

Cannavale, in his first-ever lead role, does an excellent job portraying the smart and sardonic Richie. When Richie’s company lets a potentially huge record deal with Led Zeppelin fall through its fingertips, he goes on a furious rant at his record contractors, who had also just failed to sign an up-and-coming band, the Good Rats. Cannavale displays real fire and depth as Richie’s character in this scene, showing how passionate Richie is about the music industry. watching Vinyl, one can see richie means well, but his extravagant attitude at times can lead some not to take him seriously.

When Richie is down, he always goes to his right hand man, Zak Yankovich, played by the legendary sitcom star Ray Romano. Romano gives Yankovich a sly and wry demeanor, never getting too high or low and always acting as a calming presence to the emotional Richie. However, the beauty of Yankovich’s character is that in the second episode, he strays from Romano’s supposed forte, comedy. When Yankovich and his partners discover that Richie has decided to not sell the company, it means a failed opportunity for Yankovich to cash out. After getting punched by a high Richie, Yankovich comes home to a pretentious cash-spending wife. Overwhelmed by it all, he contemplates an overdose in the middle of the night. This scene shows the dark side of Romano’s character, but sadly the reality of New York’s music industry at that time. It made good people contemplate the unthinkable.

Richie’s wife, Devon Finestra (Olivia Wilde) has limited camera time in the pilot, but when on screen, she is silent yet mentally-tough, showing she isn’t to be pushed around by anyone. Near the end of the episode, when Richie is stumbling around the house drunk with a bottle of liquor in his shaking hand, she goes up to him, calmly takes a gulp, spits it in his bloodshot face, then walks away silently.

A great aspect of “Vinyl” is that it just flows. The scenes never have a strained aura to them. The cinematography accurately portrays how dark and hopeless New York City was circa 1970. Scorsese, as always, directs the episode with such authority, with the scenes feeling so real, the camera angles so clear and unique, but never too distracting.

The best part about “Vinyl” is that it does not give in to society’s almost manic crave for the next nerve-tingling plot twist. Instead, “Vinyl” slowly builds up its story, channeling all of its focus on character development and less about how juicy the plot is, and the product just as captivating to watch.

When HBO goes all out, the product is electrifying, and “Vinyl” is no different.