Frank Zappa’s Lost 1974 TV Special, ‘Cheaper Than Cheep’ Surfaces as Film, Album

“Ladies and gentlemen, we’d like to welcome you to the world’s cheapest television special,” intones Frank Zappa, introducing this Mothers of Invention performance, filmed and recorded in a multi-camera shoot on his own dime at the band’s rehearsal hall at 5831 Sunset Blvd on the first day of summer, June 21, 1974.

Shot in sweltering heat in front of a handful of spectators using the Wally Heider Remote Truck with two 16-track tape machines, the idea was to capture the live performance to air on TV, mimicking the likes of the then-popular Soul Train, Midnight Special or the U.K.’s The Old Grey Whistle test, to sell to a network. Unfortunately, just as happened with the shows filmed at L.A.’s Roxy Theatre in December 1973, the usually meticulous Zappa discovered, much to his dismay, that the audio and video tracks did not synch up. Both remained hidden away in the Zappa Vault for over 50 years until modern technology caught up and enabled the elements to come together. Thanks to Frank’s son Ahmet and vault meister Joe Travers, those efforts have borne fruit, first in Roxy: The Movie, the initial project Ahmet worked on with his late mom Gail, released 10 years ago, and now, Cheaper Than Cheep.

Marking the project’s May 9 release as a direct-to-consumer offering on Zappa.com, Ahmet, joined by his wife and two kids, along with friends and family, hosted a Dolby Atmos screening of the final project at Dolby Laboratories, the Hollywood Boulevard headquarters less than a mile from where the original concert took place. Introducing the film, Ahmet noted how very emotional it was for him, having been born prematurely a little over a month before the recording (he will celebrate his 51st birthday on May 15), with Frank often taking time from preparations for the shoot to hold his hand while he was in an incubator at the hospital. “He saved my life,” he explained, visibly choking up.

Ruth Underwood, the group’s percussionist/vibraphone player, wrote a remembrance in the release’s liner notes and on this night gave a beautiful performance..

Coming off a 10 Year Anniversary tour in March ’74, the lineup for Cheaper Than Cheap constituted one of Zappa’s best bands, led by the multi-talented tenor sax/flute/vocalist Napoleon Murphy Brock, who does his best to steal the show with some soulful performances and mugging, along with keyboardist George Duke, guitarist Jeff Simmons, bassist Tom Fowler,Underwood on percussion and vibes, and Chester Thompson on drums. Ahmet described the latter as Frank’s favorite, “because he was always on the one.”

The intentionally misspelled “Cheep” is both a nod to “Cheepnis,” Zappas and the Mothers ode to the budget monster movies of the ‘50s and ‘60s he loved so much, as well as a reference to the production’s own financial limitations.

The performance captured on film and videotape is revelatory, a wide-ranging set list which included everything from the opener, “Cosmik Debris” and “Apostrophe” to early versions of the then-unreleased “Village of the Sun” and “RDNZL,” the latter featuring Underwood’s jaw-dropping marimba work. 

There are performances of “Montana” and “Camarillo Brillo,” both from ‘73’s Over-Nite Sensation, as well as choice Uncle Meat cuts “The Dog Breath Variations” and the title track. 

The set list even goes back to Freak Out!, with spirited performances of “How Could I Be Such a Fool,” “I’m Not Satisfied” and “Wowie Zowie,” and We’re Only In It for the Money (“Let’s Make the Water Turn Black”). Songs that would surface a few months later on Roxy & Elsewhere included “Sons of Orange County” and “More Trouble Every Day.”

Live standouts “Dupree’s Paradise,” “Penguin in Bondage” and “Inca Roads,” which would be released the following year on the studio album One Size Fits All, round out the two-hour show.

The performance itself is virtually non-stop, with little breaks between songs.  Zappa’s guitar-playing, alone and with Jeff Simmons, proves his world-class status as a rock axe-man, a cigarette dangling from his lips when it’s not stuck upright in the fret. Zappa’s leadership and conducting is in full effect, with star turns given to each of the players in turn, with Duke’s synth squiggles, Underwood’s remarkable non-stop accompaniment and Thompson’s sturdy funk drumming the highlights. It is a remarkable show, undercut by the fact there is no safety net.

As Underwood writes in her liner notes, “You’ll see a man wearing every possible hat, as he attempts to control all aspects of this filmed event from uncontrollable variable conditions and locations.  He does this while presiding over and participating in the musical performance. That, in and of itself, isn’t new for FZ, but what is new is that we see it unfold in real time.”

Directed and produced by Ahmet with Frank and Travers, the Cheaper Than Cheep package is available also through Zappa.com as well as uDiscover Music and Sound of Vinyl in an array of formats, including a special limited edition, multi-format Super Deluxe box set featuring the concert film on Blu-ray with Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround and stereo mixes, a companion stereo soundtrack on both 2CD and 180-gram 3LP picture disc vinyl, plus a 12-page booklet with rare images and liner notes, including Underwood’s remembrance. UMe is planning to offer the film for an exclusive period on YouTube free of charge.

CHEAPER THAN CHEEP SUPER DELUXE BOX SET TRACKLISTING

CD1: 

1. “Cheaper Than Cheep” 

2. Cosmik Debris 

3. Band Introductions 

4. RDNZL 

5. Village Of The Sun 

6. Montana 

7. Duke Goes Out

8. Inca Roads 

9. “Get Down Simmons” 

10. Penguin In Bondage 

11. T’Mershi Duween 

12. The Dog Breath Variations 

13. Uncle Meat

CD2: 

1. How Could I Be Such A Fool 

2. I’m Not Satisfied 

3. Wowie Zowie 

4. I Don’t Even Care 

5. Let’s Make The Water Turn Black 

6. Dupree’s Paradise Introduction 

7. Dupree’s Paradise 

8. Oh No 

9. Son Of Orange County 

10. More Trouble Every Day 

11. Apostrophe’ 

12. Camarillo Brillo 5:53 

Disc 3: Blu-ray 

Audio: Dolby Atmos (48k24b) / Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (96k24b) / PCM Stereo (96k24b)

1. Intro / Cheepnis – Percussion / “Cheaper Than Cheep” 

2. Cosmik Debris 

3. Band Introductions 

4. RDNZL 

5. Village Of The Sun 

6. Montana 

7. Duke Goes Out 

8. A Visit To The Art Studio 

9. Inca Roads 

10. “Get Down Simmons” 

11. Penguin In Bondage 

12. T’Mershi Duween 

13. The Dog Breath Variations 

14. Uncle Meat 

15. How Could I Be Such A Fool 

16. I’m Not Satisfied 

17. Wowie Zowie 

18. I Don’t Even Care 

19. Let’s Make The Water Turn Black 

20. Dupree’s Paradise Introduction 

21. Dupree’s Paradise 

22. Oh No 

23. Son Of Orange County 

24. More Trouble Every Day 

25. Apostrophe’ 

26. Camarillo Brillo 

Bonus 

1. Time Is Money (excerpt) 

2. Echidna’s Arf (Of You) – Incomplete 

3. Art Studio Outtakes 

4. The Amazing Mr. Bickford (excerpt)

LP1 

Side 1:

1. “Cheaper Than Cheep” 

2. Cosmik Debris 

3. Inca Roads 

Side 2: 

1. RDNZL 

2. Village Of The Sun

3. Montana

4. Duke Goes Out

LP2

Side 3: 

1. “Get Down Simmons” 

2. Penguin In Bondage 

3. T’Mershi Duween 

4. The Dog Breath Variations 

5. Uncle Meat

Side 4: 

1. How Could I Be Such A Fool 

2. I’m Not Satisfied 

3. Wowie Zowie 

4. I Don’t Even Care 

5. Let’s Make The Water Turn Black

LP3

Side 5: 

1. Oh No 

2. Son Of Orange County 

3. More Trouble Every Day

Side 6: 

1. Dupree’s Paradise 

2. Apostrophe’ 

3. Camarillo Brillo