Ween is a name of an Alternative, Comedy Rock & Roll and an Indie group. They were formed in the mid-1980s when Mickey Melchiondo and Aaron Freeman met in a high school typing class. They christened themselves with psuedonames Dean Ween and Gene Ween respectively, drawing on such punk surname collectives as the Ramones.
Their earliest recordings were anarchic and free-spirited, drawing on influences as far-reaching as the Beatles, Prince, Butthole Surfers, and the lo-fi punk movement. Signed to Twin-Tone records in 1990, they released "God Ween Satan: The Oneness", a 26-track smorgasbord of genre jumping and wild, silly eclecticism. Ween, often compared in their early years to other offbeat artists such as Frank Zappa and They Might Be Giants would always eschew such comparisons.
1991's "The Pod" became a fast fan favorite, as the duo's use of drum machines, pitch-tweaked guitars & vocals and drug-laced humor became a trademarked part of their sound. Their highest reaching single, "Push Th' Little Daisies" (1992) gained them media & MTV attention, as the video was a highlighted target on MTV's Beavis & Butthead. The album "Pure Guava" was the first of a series of releases on the Elektra label, followed by the 1994 release "Chocolate & Cheese", heralding 70s pop/rock & soul sendups such as "Freedom of '76" and "Voodoo Lady". Beginning at this time, Ween expanded its live and studio line-up, providing both a crisper production sound in the studio and an easier live setup (up until this time, Ween had been using drum machines & tape playback to provide backings for their songs.)
Ween turned to Nashville, Tennessee studio musicians for the recording of the authentically-spirited "12 Golden Country Greats" (1996), followed by the nautically themed "The Mollusk" (1997). Their desire to pursue alternate forms of media led to the MP3-only release "Craters of the Sac" (1999), presented by Dean for online download and free trade. Elektra Records released a live compilation entitled "Paintin' The Town Brown: Ween Live" in 1999, followed by "White Pepper" (2000), their final studio set for Elektra.
Ween also formed their own label at this time, Chocodog Records, which oversaw the release of two self-produced live sets. Short in pressing, they became instant collector's items. The two signed to Sanctuary Records in 2003 and released "Quebec", their first studio set in 3 years.
Various outside collaborations have also ensued over the years. Dean is a member of the heavy metal side project Moistboyz, and Ween has composed pieces for The X-Files Soundtrack, Schoolhouse Rock Rocks!, and the Grounded For Life TV theme. They have also worked with Rob Vaughn and Queens of the Stone Age, among others.
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2 Discography 3 External Links |
Group Members
Various members from 1994 on
Discography
Early demo tapes & self-produced recordings (1986-1989):
US Releases (1990-present):
External Links
