P.J. Byrne is not just playing Scott Levitt on the insanely high-powered HBO series Vinyl from creators Martin Scorsese, Terence Winter, Rich Cohen and Mick Jagger.

As I came to find out during our conversation about Vinyl, a series about the rock ‘n roll scene in 1970s New York, the Jersey boy and Scorsese veteran is also a lover of metaphors, U2 and coffee beans.

So you’re calling from Cleveland?

I’m in Cleveland. We’re at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I can’t tell you how excited I am to check it out.

Have you been before?

I’ve never been. I love U2. Apparently there’s a rejection letter on the wall from a record label. They’re like, “Sorry man, you’re not good enough.” I can’t wait to see that letter.

Do you have a routine while traveling?

I’ll tell you exactly what I do. I go on Yelp every morning and I type in “Pour Over Coffee” and then I look at the pictures. God bless these people, there’s some nerdy person who does this. They nerd out on beans. I nerd out on finding good coffee beans too. Or a good roaster. I look at those beautiful cappuccinos and lattes in the pictures and you can see what the places look like. You get a good neighborhood, a cool coffee shop and you can ask where to go and what to do. That’s my trick.

Do you have a favorite coffee bean?

Right now, I’m into the Ethiopian coffee bean, which are a lighter, fruitier, prettier bean, though it depends on who makes it. Most of the time Ethiopian beans, at least recently, are more fruit forward.

Do I sound ridiculous? Give me some more muscle when you write this.

I’ll make you sound stronger.

I’m lifting a weight in my right arm as I’m talking to you.

You’re injecting steroids as you drink your coffee.

Correct.

What’s your favorite part about being in a Scorsese project?

Being on a Martin Scorsese project, it’s always the best thing in your life. You get to work with this icon. There’s a reason he’s an icon. He’s such a special guy. It’s not lost on me every day that I get to go to work with Martin Scorsese and that he picked me to be in the show. He’s that great director who’s like those iconic coaches who give players confidence to go out and hit home-runs. That’s the confidence he gives you every time on set. “PJ, I want you to play Margaret Thatcher.” Done. I’ll win an Oscar playing Margaret Thatcher. That’s how awesome he is.

P.J. Byrne as Scott Levitt, right

You’re on the All-Star team.

Totally, I know. I just want to make a layup.

Is that how you’d describe your role?

If you’re going to do a basketball analogy, this is Bobby’s show, no question. The show goes through his character. You’re going to be blown away; he’s so wonderful in it. I’m like the 3-point shooter, or the sixth man off the bench who’s going to come in and hit a couple: pop pop pop. That kind of thing when you need it. I love it. Believe me, it’s awesome. Let’s go get a championship. Let’s do it.

One day we were shooting a long crazy scene. Everybody was getting tired, as far as an actor gets tired. We were shooting it all day long. Bobby has this gigantic monologue about rock ‘n roll and he starts to lose his voice. I’ll never forget, Al Coulter, one of our great directors, he goes, “The camera’s not on you, so maybe on this one, why not take it down to 75%?” Bobby looks at us, and back at the director and goes: “We don’t know how to do 75%.” I was just like “AHHH exactly.” Every day, we leave it all out there and let everything fall where it may. That’s the best way to go to work every day: kick ass, bang heads, and rock it.

I love the sport metaphors happening in Cleveland. LeBron would be proud.

We’re in Cleveland. I don’t want to let you down.

What was your first CD or record?

It was a tape. It was R.E.M. “Green.” (sings) “Oh, I’ve got my…”

Do you still buy music?

I do, off Apple music.

Do you feel bad that you’re in a show called Vinyl and that we’ve come to that?

I know. Well, for ease of access, no. It’s cool and easy. I’m trying to think of what I just bought. Oh I know. I got that new CD from Charlie Puth [Nine Track Mind].

If you could change your initials to stand for anything, what would it be?

Oh, I know exactly. You know those Para Rescue jumpers? I would go Para Jumpers. Those guys are badass. Whenever there are problems in the world, they run in to help and save people.

Para Jumper Byrne: I love it. That kind of sounds like your role on Vinyl.

That’s exactly it. I did Horrible Bosses and a small part in The Campaign. The Campaign was one day, that’s how long I worked for them, and Jason Sudeikis saw me on the plane. “You’re already leaving? Look at you. You’re a sniper. You come in, you kill it. You get out.” I loved it.

Now you’re every day.

I’m more like the bazooka operator. I’m in the war and I’m shooting off a big one. Afterwards I have to load up the bazooka, so it takes a minute.

Thanks for taking a few minutes in between coffee sojourns to talk today. I can’t wait to watch Vinyl.

Just tell 14 million of your friends, and we should be okay.

Something tells me they’ll be okay either way.

Vinyl premieres on HBO Sunday February 14 at 9 PM.

[All images courtesy of HBO]

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