Recommendations of the Editorial team
Universal Music releases a delicacy for Frank-Zappa fans: On June 27, 2025, “Cheaper Than Cheep” will be released by Frank Zappa & the Mother of Invention-restored, remastered and officially accessible for the first time. The two-hour concert program, recorded in 1974 in the private rehearsal room of the band, is considered the most intimate performance of the legendary Mother occupation of that time.
The concert material, originally produced for television, stored in the archive for almost 50 years after technical problems prevented a radiation. Thanks to today’s digital restoration opportunities, the show can now be experienced in full length- and this, so to speak, directly from the original audio and video bands.
Frank Zappa & the Mother of Invention: “Cheaper Than Cheep” appears in several editions
A limited Super Deluxe Edition with 3 LPS on 180g vinyl, 2 CDs, a Blu-ray with the concert film (in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 Surround and Stereo) as well as with an extensive booklet with rare photos and linnote from Ruth Underwood and Joe Travers. Everything comes in the high -quality telescopic slipcase.
In addition, the concert can also be purchased as a 3LP version: the soundtrack is divided into 3 LPs (180g, black) and is supplemented by an appealing booklet.
LP01
Side One:
1. “Cheaper Than Cheep”
2. Cosmik Debris
3. Inca roads
Side Two:
1. RDNZL
2. Village of the Sun
3. Montana
4. Duke goes out
LP02
Side Three:
1. “Get Down Simmons”
2. Penguin in Bondage
3. T’mershi Duween
4. The Dog Breath Variations
5. Uncle Meat
Side Four:
1. How Could I be search a fool
2. I’m not satisfied
3. Wowie Zowie
4. I don’t make care
5. Let’s make the water turn black
LP03
Side Five:
1. Oh no
2. Son of Orange County
3. More trouble every day
Side Six:
1. Dupre’s paradise
2. Apostrophe ‘
3. Camarillo Brillo
Fans of the “newer” recordings can get “Cheaper Than Cheep” by Frank Zappa & the Mother of Invention as a 2CD+Blu-ray set: The newly mastered concert video appears on Blu-ray (Dolby Atmos, 5.1, Stereo) and the stereo soundtrack on two CDs. There is also an extensive booklet here.
Disc 1:
1. “Cheaper Than Cheep”
2. Cosmik Debris
3. Volume 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
Disc 2:
1. How Could I be search a fool
2. I’m not satisfied
3. Wowie Zowie
4. I don’t make care
5. Let’s make the water turn black
6. Dupre’s Paradise Introduction
7. Dupre’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. Volume 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 search 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. Dupre’s Paradise Introduction
21. Dupre’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)
By the way, with “Cheaper Than Cheep”, Universal Music publishes the official Zappa publication No. 130-a must for collectors, audiophiles and everyone who wants to re-discover Zappa’s visionary live acquisition.