The year is 1973. Richie Finestra (played by Bobby Cannavale) has climbed the music industry ladder from working New York City clubs to building a successful record label, American Century. With the company’s future on the rocks, Richie must navigate a hostile, cocaine-fueled music industry to make a comeback by discovering the next great band.
The likely saving grace for American Century is The Nasty Bits, a band fronted by Kip Stevens (played by Mick Jagger’s son, James Jagger). Discovered by the sandwich-girl and office drug dealer Jamie Vine (played by Juno Temple), The Nasty Bits are undeniably punk rock, with the perfect self-proclaimed mantra of “not giving a f*** about anything.”
The Nasty Bits’ promise of imminent success, as well as their pure, infectious energy reinvigorates Richie’s drive to make American Century great again. This helps him do away with a pejorative nickname murmured around the industry: “American Cemetery; where artists go to die.”
A genuine anti-hero on par with the fascinating Don Draper of “Mad Men,” Richie is joined by an entourage of co-executives reminiscent of the partners from the AMC show’s fictional advertising agency, Sterling-Cooper. While the office dynamic and chemistry between characters is noticeably similar, “Vinyl” is far from a “Mad Men” rip-off.
“Vinyl” expertly frames the music industry of the 1970s, a portrayal shaped by the hands of cinematic genius Martin Scorsese and rock ‘n’ roll legend Mick Jagger. These men are unafraid of portraying the grit and grime which bred some of the most revolutionary bands in music history. Jagger acts as the show’s music industry insider, ensuring the inclusion of every possible detail about the era.
George Mastras, who penned many of the best “Breaking Bad” episodes, and Terence Winter, producer of “Boardwalk Empire” and writer of “The Sopranos” and Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street,” wrote the series premiere.
The pilot almost works as a standalone movie thanks to the seasoned and distinguished creative team. The dialogue is as sharp and witty as it gets, with endless classic music references. Scorsese’s signature filmmaking repertoire is on full display, and through the lens of Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, “Vinyl” arrives as a top-notch period piece with a terrific production value, complex story and a bright future.
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