Cocaine, Blowjobs, Etc.

by Alexandra Molotkow

The first teaser for Vinyl, HBO’s new golden-age-of-X series set in 1970s New York, is online:

From Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger and Terence Winter, this new drama series is set in 1970s New York. A ride through the sex- and drug-addled music business at the dawn of punk, disco, and hip-hop, the show is seen through the eyes of a record label president, Richie Finestra, played by Bobby Cannavale, who is trying to save his company and his soul without destroying everyone in his path.

…And that’s right up my alley and I’ll probably watch it, despite three objections based on pure conjecture:

– My gut tells me I don’t care about Richie Finestra’s soul, and not just because I’ll always associate Bobby Cannavale with “funky spunk.” I’m just dubious of the Lovable Asshole trope (“I’ve earned my right to be hated”), especially Lovable Assholes from a time when it was OK to say or do things we’ve since identified as Not OK.

Lovable Assholes, in fiction as in life, are normally just assholes who’ve opted to lionize their shitty behavior instead of fix it. With a few exceptions, I don’t have much sympathy for them, which is strange, because I totally sympathized with Tony Soprano. Incredibly evil people are easier to like than mediocre jerks, I suppose because they’re more interesting.

But whatever, maybe Richie Finestra is an honest businessman and decent husband who just swears too much in meetings.

– Childish, I know, but it’s nerve-wracking to enter someone else’s Complete Vision of an era you’ve privately mythologized. It’s not like I have any claim to it, I wasn’t there, I wasn’t even alive, go nuts, Mick Jagger! I just don’t want to assimilate.

– I’m wary of anything that glorifies “old music” or panders to fans of it, such as myself. We’re the worst.

Anyway, this better be good.