This weekend, HBO is getting very rock ‘n roll, with the two-hour, Martin Scorsese-directed season premiere of "Vinyl." The show takes viewers into the gritty realm of the 1970s music industry, following a record label honcho who makes his way through the sex and drug-riddled world, searching for the next big sound. The cast for this one is impressive, featuring Bobby Cannavale, Olivia Wilde, Ray Romano, Juno Temple, James Jagger, and many more. It’s been a long journey, with the show’s executive producer and writer Terence Winter sharing that the project has been brewing for over a decade.
"The germ of this started well before I got involved. In 1996, Mick Jagger approached Martin Scorsese and pitched him on the idea of doing a version of the movie ‘Casino‘ set in the world of rock and roll," he told Studio 360. "In 2007, 11 years later, Martin Scorsese called me up. I had just written the pilot episode of ‘Boardwalk Empire‘ and ‘The Wolf of Wall Street.’ He said, ‘Listen, I have this other thing. It’s a movie set in the world of rock and roll. I’m doing it with Mick Jagger. Do you think you’d be interested in that?’ "
What started as a movie was developed into a series, and we’ll see if it hits all the right notes very soon.
Meanwhile, as you’d might expect, the show is packed with music. The soundtrack, released today, features Otis Redding, The Meters, Edgar Winter, Foghat, Ruth Brown, and more. In fact, there’s so much music, that each week a new digital EP will arrive bursting with even more tunes.
Below, listen to the "Vinyl" soundtrack and Winter’s full interview, check out some featurettes, and see it for yourself on Sunday night when the show debuts on HBO.