1974 Vanished Frank Zappa TV Special To Be Aired Soon

Published Apr 29, 2025 By Dowell

via tomtiddler1 / Youtube

After sitting untouched for more than 50 years, a long-lost Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention television special is finally seeing the light of day! The two-hour concert film and companion live album, Cheaper Than Cheep, will be released on May 9. Fans can grab it as a CD and Blu-ray set or on vinyl—and there’s even a trailer out now to give you a sneak peek.

How ‘Cheaper Than Cheep’ Got Lost

On June 21, 1974, Zappa invited fans to the band’s Hollywood rehearsal space for a special performance. The idea was to record a full-length TV special, but things didn’t go exactly as planned. After filming wrapped, Zappa discovered the film and sound weren’t synced properly. Frustrated, he shelved the project.

Instead, Zappa moved forward with The Dub Room Special, made in partnership with a Los Angeles PBS station. Meanwhile, the original special—the one Zappa really wanted—sat untouched in his vault for decades.

That night, Zappa joked to the crowd, “We’d like to welcome you to the world’s cheapest television special, which is being manufactured for your edification right here in the midst of our Mothers of Invention rehearsal hall at 5831 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, California.” He added, “As you can see, it’s cheaper than cheap.”

What’s Inside ‘Cheaper Than Cheep’?

The special features Zappa’s summer 1974 lineup, including drummer Chester Thompson, keyboardist George Duke, guitarist Jeff Simmons, saxophone and flute player Napoleon Murphy Brock, percussionist Ruth Underwood, and bassist Tom Fowler. They performed classic Zappa tunes like “Cosmik Debris,” “Montana,” “Wowie Zowie,” and “Dupree’s Paradise.”

The film also includes unique segments by artist Cal Schenkel and Claymation director Bruce Bickford, both longtime Zappa collaborators.

Cheaper Than Cheep will be available exclusively through Zappa’s official website and is up for preorder now. The CD version even includes four bonus excerpts and outtakes. For fans who have been waiting half a century, this one’s a must-have.

Cheaper Than Cheep’s Set Track Listing

Packed with live performances, rare footage, and bonus material, Cheaper Than Cheep delivers an incredible collection of Frank Zappa’s mid-’70s creativity. Here’s a full look at the set list included in the Super Deluxe Box Set.

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
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”