Peter Tork in Japan August 1981 "Stepping Stone"

Peter Tork performs a somewhat off-model version of "Stepping Stone" in Japan during an August 1981 tour. Check out his Keith Emerson-like keyboard finale! The BetaGems channel also has "Monkees 7-24-96 daytime TV performance & Interview," "Monkees 1986 News Anthology - reunion press coverage," "Monkees theme park performance 11-9-86," "The Monkees 6-30-89 daytime TV performance & intvw," "Micky Dolenz 1976 TV commercials for Miller's Outpost, Levi's, with outtakes," "Davy Jones, Grass Roots, New Colony 6 live 1979, Six Flags Magic Mountain," "Monkees reunite with Mike Nesmith Sept. 1986 news report," "Mike Nesmith talks Tapeheads 11-11-88 morning TV interview," and "New Monkees mocked in person by Nina Blackwood 1-22-88."

BetaGems are culled from an archive of over 1000 beta video tapes recorded from 1983 into the 1990s. Most feature live music performances broadcast on television in San Diego CA, though there are also rarely seen commercials, comedy clips, and other material that doesn't seem to be anywhere else on Youtube or online. Most of the tapes were recorded on a Sony SL-HFT7 Super Beta Theater Hi-Fi Stereo - the same model was refurbished and is being used for these digital transfers and uploads.

In rare occasions where a BetaGems clip does appear elsewhere, we're only uploading if our own beta master is better quality or contains material not seen previously. Much footage comes from public television and public access broadcasts that the taper, who worked for a local cable TV production company in the 1980s, monitored nightly for several years. Some of the programming is strictly regional, mostly from the San Diego area.