For those hoping that Aaron Freeman's quotes about the end of Gene Ween and therefore Ween to Rolling Stone earlier this week were some sort of misunderstanding, we're sad to say that's not the case. Freeman's Facebook page was updated yesterday with this definitive note from Ween manager Greg Frey, “In order to more fully explore and pursue his solo career, Aaron has decided to end his musical relationship with Ween. He wants to personally thank each and every fan for all their love and support through the years.” With that in mind, we [...]
Ween have called it a day . Aaron Freeman/Gene Ween told Rolling Stone: "It's time to move on. I'm retiring Gene Ween... It's been a long time, 25 years. It was a good run." Except he might have forgotten to do something quite important. He cancelled the milk, put the papers on hold, locked the doors and windows... but there's a nagging voice which suggests he might have missed a detail as he closed down the band. Mickey Melchiondo, aka Dean Ween, later appeared to be unaware of the split on their Facebook page. He [...]

Ween Court Tavern, New Brunswick circa 1993 God Ween Satan Era Ween is the kind of band that you either love or you hate. They originated from the 4-track cassette culture I grew up on so once you get over that hump you are half way there. They created this reality that was inhabited by the entity known as The Boognish . In this head space they played with tape speeds, drums machines and the occasional puff of pot and called each other dude and Jimmy Wilson a lot. I'm not sure [...]
The poopship has been destroyed. Ween are dead: long live Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo. Though they collaborated frequently, employing the brilliant drummer Claude Coleman and, more famously, a crackerjack team of Nashville studio stars they dubbed The Shitcreek Boys, Ween was always the project, outpouring, and identity of its founding duo. Freeman and Melchiondo [...]

HT faves Wilco are currently in the home stretch of their European tour, which finds Jeff Tweedy & Co. pulling into Barcelona, Spain this evening for a high profile appearance at the Primavera Sound Festival . Yesterday, the band revealed that their set will be streamed live via the fest's YouTube page at 5 PM EDT, or as dutifully pointed out in Wilco's announcement, 4 PM in their hometown of Chicago. The fest will also webcast sets from Mazzy Star, Sharon Van Etten, The Cure and more throughout the weekend. Look for the full schedule on the YouTube page [...]

Eric J. Lawrence Word has filtered through the music world that the long-standing alt-rock duo Ween are calling it quits. One half of the pseudonymous Ween brothers, Aaron Freeman , recently announced he’s stepping away from his wacky persona as Gene Ween. Although his partner Mickey Melchiondo , aka Dean Ween , posted on Facebook that he hadn’t heard about the split, that in itself is a pretty clear sign that the news [...]

photo by Renata Steiner Seven months after the release of the Headcage EP, electronic avant-pop producer Matthew Dear will release Beams, his first full-length in two years. Arriving in August 28 (August 27 internationally) on Ghostly International, the album features the title track from Headcage alongside 10 new cuts. The opening track, “Her Fantasy,” will be released as a single on June 5, but it’s available for streaming right now: Bluegrass legend and guitar pioneer [...]
"I'm Gener, that's Deaner, and we're Weaner." That hilarious introduction frequently greeted the exuberant crowds who gathered to see the always memorable live shows of irreverent alt-rock experimenta

Yesterday was a sad day for Ween fans as Aaron Freeman announced he had retired his Gene Ween persona and therefore the band after a 25 year run. While the news wasn't a complete surprise to anyone paying attention, except perhaps Deaner , it's different when you see that the actual words had come out of Freeman's mouth. In honor of Ween and their illustrious career, we've put together a Through The Years playlist for Ween featuring one video a year from 1987 to 2011 which shows the power of the Purveyors of Brown's live [...]

Earlier today we reported that Ween had broken up, but it seems that might not be the case. Aaron Freeman (aka Gene Ween) stated that "it's time to move on," yet Mickey Melchiondo (aka Dean Ween) and Ween's publicist both seem to be in the dark over the situation, with the former claiming "[the breakup] ss news to me, all I can say for now I guess." Is the party over?

Ween at Summerstage in 2010 ( more by Andrew St. Clair ) "It's time to move on," Freeman told Rolling Stone from his home in New Jersey. "I'm retiring Gene Ween." So does that mean the end for Ween, the band that Freeman formed with high school friend Mickey Melchiondo (a.k.a. Dean Ween) in New Hope, Pennsylvania, in the mid-Eighties? "Pretty much, yeah," says Freeman. "It's been a long time, 25 years. It was a good run." Freeman, who released his solo debut Marvelous Clouds [...]

Rolling Stone : Experimental pop-rock outfit Ween calls it quits after 28 weird, lovely years. P4K : Folk singer/guitarist Doc Watson dies from complications after a recent abdominal surgery. YouTube : Hip-hop legend Nas drops a video for "Daughters." CoS : Hey Mom and Dad! Regina Spektor played some tunes on Good Morning America! mtvU : The Black Keys are pegged to play this year's MTV Movie Awards. [...]

The WEEN have broken up. As confirmed by the GENE WEEN himself It's time to move on. I'm retiring Gene Ween. For me it's a closed book. In life sometimes, in the universe, you have to close some doors to have others open. For me, I'd like to think it's a door I can close finally. Adios and tah for the genre-bending mp3s you've provided over the almost last few decades.

"It's been a long time, 25 years. It was a good run," Ween's Aaron Freeman told Rolling Stone today, adding that he's retiring his Gene Ween moniker in light of the project formed in 1984 with Mickey Melchiondo being "a closed book." If that doesn't fully cement the unfortunate news from Freeman's end, he elaborated that this decision has been 8 years in the making, that his new covers LP is only the beginning of "forging a new thing for [himself]," and that the next planned release will be a record of original solo material. [...]
So Ween broke up today. To be honest, I've never been super into them, or that is to say, I was never a rabid fan like my friend Dan here. Count me in the camp that felt like a confused onlooker. You either loved or hated their quirky, half-humorous songs or you weren't in on the joke. Regardless, more than a few of their infectious melodies have burrowed their ear worms into mine more times than I'd care to admit. I can't deny their influence, and they've certainly always been true artists. coughcool : [...]

It's a shame though this should be no surprise to some of you since they've not been very active as of late. Aaron Freeman a.k.a. Gene Ween told Rolling Stone from his New Jersey home: "It's time to move on... I'm retiring Gene Ween." Freeman goes on to say: "It's been a long time, 25 years. It was a good run." "For [...]
Filed under: News Jason Merritt, Getty Images It appears that Ween have officially called it quits. Speaking to Rolling Stone , Aaron Freeman -- aka Gene Ween -- said he's retiring his alter ego because "it's time to move on." The news comes after Freeman released his first solo album, Marvelous Clouds , just a few weeks ago. Last year, he checked into rehab for substance-abuse issues after several [...]
"It's been a long time, 25 years. It was a good run."

I gotta say, it's been real Ween . Read the full story at Rolling Stone .
It may be no surprise, as Aaron Freeman (Gene Ween) has branched into solo territory , but Ween, one of rock's most unusual success stories and most colorful live acts (with a cult fanbase indicative of those labels) is breaking up, according to Freeman himself. Freeman lays it out: Read More...