The award-winning documentary feature Life on the V: The Story of V66 is screening for one-night only at the Somerville Theatre on Thursday February 27, 2025 at 7:30PM in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the music TV channel V66 that hit the TV airwaves in Boston in February 1985. The screening will feature a post-screening Q&A with director Eric Green as well as former V66 employees (to be announced).
Life on the V: The Story of V66 tells the story of V66, the hugely popular music video TV channel that was broadcast throughout the Boston area during the height of the music video craze in 1985-86, only to disappear from the airwaves after 18 months. Over 40 years later, the fans remain and memories of this channel have formed an important place in 80s nostalgia. The documentary focuses on this music outlet that came out at a time when cable penetration was minimal in New England and when MTV was scarcely available.
Told from the perspective of radio legends and channel co-founders, John Garabedian and the late great Arnie “Woo Woo” Ginsburg, as well as a who’s who in the Boston 80s music scene, the film provides a comprehensive behind-the-scenes view of what it was like to be a part of the magic happening at this station that still brings back a flood of enthusiastic emotion for those fans who were glued to their TVs 40 years ago.
The documentary team tracked down and interviewed over 30 former V66 employees including David O’Leary (who is now on MAGIC 106.7-FM), Greg Hill (who is now on WWEEI 93.7-FM), Bill Stephens, and Bob Rivers (who is heard on The Pike 100-FM), over 30 musicians who were either on V66 or influenced by V66 (including members of The Cars, The J. Geils Band, New Edition, ‘Til Tuesday, Extreme, The Del Fuegos, The Lemonheads, Dropkick Murphys, Puddle of Mudd, Letters to Cleo and Morphine), and over 15 fans. Interviews were filmed in people’s homes, workplaces, rehearsal spaces and music venues.
“To mark the 40th anniversary of this piece of music and broadcast history in Boston, I am absolutely thrilled to return to Somerville Theatre” says Life on the V director Eric Green. “There’s a reason this venue is still going strong over 110 years later and our screenings among my favorite: the projection, the sound, the classic cinema’s history. Could not be happier to have it return for an anniversary screening!”