Ween: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

[MarcO]

Haven't heard "quebec" yet but can't wait, especially when I'm groovin' on interview material like this!

Ween's growing popularity among young hippie types seems to suggest otherwise. It seems that more and more jam band fans are linking Ween with Widespread Panic, Leftover Salmon and their ilk.

"People who think that need to see the light -- any kind of light. What happened was that Phish started playing our songs, which was cool. Then we played the Bonnaroo thing, which was totally hippied out. Then our booking agent kind of took that flag and started running with it. Now in a way, money is money, and if it's going to increase our audience, that's fine. But the last hippie-fest we did, which was the Adirondack Festival -- that was it. Never, ever doing another one of those again. I had to listen to this fucking jam band for three hours in the rain, waiting to go on. I was like, 'Just kill me.' I can't take any more white boys noodling around on their guitars."

[kung]

That's my boy.

[Del]

Never considered Ween jammy at all. I respect their opinion about jambands, but I want to see Ween at the next "hippie festival" I go to about as much as they want to be there. I don't like Ween. Sorry. I know this will upset a lot of you (Stapes, Velvet, etc.), but I don't enjoy them. Keep them away from the festivals, just taking up space from some other band I might actually enjoy.

*Anyone know who they're talking about? Who played before them at Adirondack?*

[MarcO]

Soulive played before Ween, according to the schedule. Disco Biscuits after.

[bouche]

He HAD to listen to SoulLive, under the safety of a tent, drinking free beer?

Oh...poor guy.

Next time I see him walk into a porta-pottie, I'm tipping it, then I'll take a piss!

[questcequecest?]

I was never a ween fan, I saw them this summer and it was one of the best performances ive seen all year... I'm still not a big fan (I dont have any cd's), but I'd love to see more alternative/experimental/progressive acts added to festival lineups.

Lots of successful jam-fests this summer included a variety of acts... the roots, antibalas, Israel Vibes and common/kweli were some of the better shows ive seen this year... In my opinion id rather see some hip-hop, some reggae and some ween, than a solid lineup of spacy phishy/slip jams. But thats just me, and my life of spicy variety.

[Patchoulia]

I’ve loved Ween for years…and while they may not be known for “jamming”, per se, they certainly have a quality that makes them very different from mainstream “pop” or “alt” acts (with their diversity, I’m loathe to even attempt to classify them in any way)….and more akin to a “jam” type band.

At a Ween show, you never run the risk of thinking, “Hey, this sounds just like the CD!”

And the fact that they’re willing to experiment (and succeed) in vastly different genres of music lends credence to the perception that they fit in the jamband scene. In fact, where else would they fit?

The bands classified as jambands run the gamut in terms of musical genres. Sure, there are probably some we don’t personally like, but, for the most part, we tend to be pretty open-minded to various styles.

I’m surprised Ween wasn’t embraced by the jamband community YEARS ago…not just because they’re ridiculously good, but because I would have thought that finding a niche audience might be somewhat difficult for them and we’d be open to their myriad of styles.

Any band that can go from the HIV Song, to Baby Bitch, to Mister Richard Smoker, to Roses are Free, to Waving My Dick in the Wind, is not necessarily going to appeal to the masses! Some might enjoy some of their stuff and despise others...not because some songs are inferior but just remarkably different! I personally believe they offer something for everyone, but the guy who likes to bang his head isn’t necessarily going to swoon for their melodies or kick up his heels to the country stuff (I don’t see why not, but hey—that’s just me!)

In any event, their live shows are always wonderfully surprising and often experimental….isn’t that what jambands are all about?

I can't wait to hear "Quebec"~!

[Schwa.]

Ween is too weird and loses my attention after 10 minutes. Noise really.

I like this better:

http://www.fastfunpages.com/03/06/everybodyfarts/index.cfm

[ollie]

I don't take that quotation too seriously. He's taking a broad stab at an easy target for a cheap laugh.

Has anyone heard their version of Stella Blue?

[kung]

Who are you people? Really who are you? What kind of a cock knock doesn't get that Ween is one of the ultimate live ensembles. It is not even open for debate. There's a reason that Phish covers Ween and not vice versa. To my mind Ween is far more credible than Phish. They're not C for college rock (Guided By Voices, They Might Be Giants, Flaming Lips), their not J for jam or jerkoff, they're B for so damn brown.

Bringing the Flaming Lips into this only further bemoans your ignorance Del-Head. Schwa. and tigger you aren't doing much better. I suspect your inability to appreciate either Ween or the Flaming Lips- and with them a whole host of timeless others- stems from your inability to appreciate paradox, irony or a well turned phrase. Robert Hunter wrote the Dead's shit. Tom Marshall wrote Phish's shit. Gener wrote his shit.

Obviously Gentlemonkey has made the civilized point here. Que C'est, Palace Princess and Stoned Phillips likewise credible. I think MarcO said it best though:

It's easy to lose sight of the fact that all that love, weed and "improv" is sheer torture for lots of people.

Just listen to Hippy Smell off of I believe their Live Brain Wedgie EP. In other words it goes way back to them being 15 and hating the Grateful Dead and all those motherfuckers. That's not how they grew up, it's not what they grew up with. Still Gener does do a masterful turn of Stella Blue showing they are not ignorant of what that world has to offer. What's more credible creating timeless mindfuck masterworks on your 4 track at 15 or driving your daddies SUV to see noodle rock and stay in hotels? I ask you?

I think it all stems from a far too narrow notion of what 'jam' means to most people. If it's not 15 plus minute jams that undulate like an ocean to a stoned crowd of 2000 to 60,000 apparently it's not jam.

[c-towns]

Aw, come on Kung, nothing for me??

spank me.

[shitidiot]

what these "hippy fests" are all about is a good live show. that's what ween, the lips, phish, the slip have in common. when you see these bands there's no way you can say they'er bad, there all very talented musicians/song writers. i like these bands and if you think they can be compared to Nelly/ limp bizkit. then i think you should spend 50$ to go see them and get a real opinion.

[MarcO]

"I had to listen to this fucking jam band for three hours in the rain, waiting to go on. I was like, 'Just kill me.' I can't take any more white boys noodling around on their guitars."

Hell, I feel like that half the time and I *like* jambands (well, some of 'em....) and the jamband scene!

That quote has had me laughing all day long. Ween, man you just can't go wrong!

[tigger]

Kung I knew you couldn't resist giving me a verbal spanking "ouch that hurt".

[Stapes]

Ween, man you just can't go wrong!

`nuff said.

[hamilton]

quote:

---

Originally posted by kung:

I think it all stems from a far too narrow notion of what 'jam' means to most people. If it's not 15 plus minute jams that undulate like an ocean to a stoned crowd of 2000 to 60,000 apparently it's not jam.

---

Hear, hear!!

Reminds me of the criticisms that I heard about some of the new BNB songs - "They're okay, but too short"; "They're kind of poppy"; "Some of them were slow".

And........ what's wrong with that, I ask?

[paisley]

well this is a good thread

yep some jamband performances are torturous... as with any genre... Ween rock, and have a really fun sense of humour (I like blatant kicks)

not a lips fan here yet though, keeps bouncing off of ma brain (more the music than the words which I don't know all of yet)

[shainhouse]

wow, this is an interesting debate.

I personally love Ween and I also love NOT classifying bands. I love seeing hip-hop acts like SPEARHEAD and poppier acts like GUSTER included into 'jam-band' shows. Our scene is not about inclusion, but variance. That's why I love it so much. jamband, schmandband, if you like Ween, go see them, if you don't, then don't.

case closed.

[gentlemonkey]

I hear your opinion Del, but I can't agree.

I think the integration of bands like Ween, Tortoise, TMBG and the Flaming Lips into the 'jamband' scene is great. None of them jam, and they all may not be condusive to an number of 'requirements' some jamfans have- but they add a lot of diversity to the scene- which (i think)is important and exciting.

They are producing something musically and theatrically that jammy bands don't really. They are challenging us as music fans to get what they are about. Although i hate to say it, showing other pockets of music lovers that we appreciate the best of their 'scenes'- offers credibility to US as truly open minded music lovers.

[tigger]

I was at the festival refered to the AMMF and i didn't go see them.I stayed away as i would i guess what i mean is i wouldn't cross the street to see them.

[PalacePrincess]

is ween EVER the gift that keeps on giving -- thanks for the article marco, that was great.

personally, i'll go see those boys anywhere, anytime, any way, any how. one thing i love about all their albums is you can listen to each one over and over (and over and over and over and over) again like no other... you never get sick of them. so diverse, so funny, serious and crazy all at once. they're a GREAT live act too, you don't realize fully what talented musicians they are until they're in front of your face. currently counting the seconds until they come back someplace close...

[Del]

Don't get me started on The Flaming Lips... I see what you're saying GM, but why not add on Limp Bizkit or Nelly on to a bill? I hate both of those bands, and I don't think they would add anything to a bill, or to our scene. Just because something is different, funny and weird, doesn't mean it's good... To quote Trey Anastasio:

"Zappa asked if humor belonged in music. Yeah, it does. But a better question for Zappa might have been, Is humor the ONLY thing that belongs in music? You have to be careful about that too."

-The Phish Book

[MarcO]

Well, I wouldn't make a comparison between Ween and The Flaming Lips on one hand, and Nelly and Limp Bizkit on the other.

Regardless of whether you like them or not, it's hard to miss the musical integrity of Ween or the Lips. I think that's the main point in adding them to "jamband" bills - they certainly don't bring in huge numbers.

Personally, I think Gene Ween's comments are instructive. It's easy to lose sight of the fact that all that love, weed and "improv" is sheer torture for lots of people.

[c-towns]

Has anyone heard the second disc of "paintin the town brown", ween doesn't jam ay, ppppfffffttttt.

How bout the LMLYP on the Live at Stubbs disc, thats like 30 minutes long, they jam, just not in the typical jamband kind of way, more of like a drug induced tripped out kind of way.

Wait thats exactly like the jamband kind of way.

No matter how you look at them they fit into the "jamband" genre due to the amount of improvision contained in their live shows night in and night out.

[Del]

c-towns, fair enough. But then all jazz and all bluegrass is jam music as well, for the same reason. Hell, a lot of rap shows feature free-style raps during their show which are entirely unique each time. does this qualify them as jambands? Bands like Yes are known to play 30 or 40 minute songs, so are they a jamband? I don't know if Ween jams or not, but to be honest I don't care...