See Frank Zappa Shred on Guitar in ‘Roxy: The Movie’ Trailer

More than four decades after Frank Zappa and the Mothers filmed their three-night residency at Hollywood’s 500-person-capacity Roxy Theatre, Roxy: The Movie will finally be released. A trailer for the film shows the mustachioed bandleader coaxing polyrhythms, paradiddles and plenty of puns, as he shreds furiously on his guitar. The movie is set to come out on DVD and Blu-ray on October 30th.

The concerts took place in December 1973 with the Mothers lineup featuring George Duke on keyboards and Ruth Underwood on percussion. Some of the material appeared on Zappa’s 1974 release Roxy & Elsewhere, while other tracks eventually came out on the first and third volumes of his You Can’t Do That on Stage Anymore series. Over the years, the Zappa estate has released film clips and snippets from the performances, but never a feature-length film.

“I’m beyond thrilled that Roxy: The Movie is finally going to be available,” Zappa’s son Ahmet said in a statement. “It took a herculean effort to bring it to life. So much love, time, energy and attention to detail went into its resurrection. This movie rocks so hard, I think both old and new fans will agree.”

The film gives writing, directing, conducting, performing and producing credits to Frank Zappa, while Ahmet, Frank’s widow Gail and The Kids Are Alright director Jeff Stein get credit for the film’s current release. As previously announced, Roxy: The Movie comes as part of a new partnership between the Zappa Estate and Universal Music Enterprises, which aims to keep Zappa’s music in the public eye. Separate from that partnership, the Zappas have also granted filmmaker Alex Winter permission to make a documentary about the main Mother’s life, which is slated to come out in 2017.

Roxy: The Movie Track List:

“Cosmik Debris”
“Penguin in Bondage”
“T’Mershi Duween”
“Dog/Meat”
“RDNZL”
“Inca Roads”
“Echidna’s Arf (Of You)”
“Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?”
“Cheepnis-Percussion”
“Cheepnis”
“I’m the Slime”
“Big Swifty”
“Be-Bop Tango (Of the Old Jazzmen’s Church)”