Dean Ween Interview | Music Is My Life Podcast Episode 18 | Berklee Online
![Dean Ween Interview | Music Is My Life Podcast Episode 18 | Berklee Online Dean Ween Interview | Music Is My Life Podcast Episode 18 | Berklee Online](/pic/dean_ween_interview_music_is_my_life_podcast_episode_18_berklee_online/MjZLQ0J2MzNDcXc_.jpeg)
Hello, listeners, welcome, to music, is my life a podcast. From Berklee online my. Name is Pat Healy and I, would like you to take, note of our guest for this edition, if you could please state your name sir my, name is Michael, Melky, Hondo and. It's. Really it's, it's a great last name because I know when it's a solicitor, on the phone immediately when. They start struggling, I just, hang right up now. If that name does not ring a bell it's, because he's known professionally. By his stage name of, Dean ween, one. Half of the band Queen. Obviously, who. For nearly 30, years, along with gene ween whose, real name is, Aaron Freeman have been releasing into, the world of very, unique, style of music is. It silly sometimes. Is, it serious sometimes. Is. It strange sometimes. Is. It awesome most. Times and some. Of this was on a major, label. Dena, as. He is also known is currently touring with the Dean ween group which. Features all of the touring members of ween -, Gina and, the Dean ween group have an album called Rock - coming. Out on March, 16th. The, full lineup of Weena's, also, recently, announced their first show of the summer at Red Rocks in Colorado, on June 5th. Melki, Ando and Freeman, met in 1984. Adopting. The weand surname. In their early teenage, years. But. Mielke on those love of music began a few years earlier than that thanks. To his, father first. I really, remember, were my dad's records, that my dad didn't have a big, record collection, but the records that he had. Are. So. Cool looking, back it. Was he, he went into the Navy in like. 1960. And. When he came out I guess after whatever. Was two years or four years or. You. Know he met. My mom got, married all that but but uh he. Just, totally, ignored, the. British. Movement. Like of music, like he, was so into soul, music and, doo-wop, and and then. Old. Country. And then, funk. So. It you, know there was this very you, know his record collection. Very. Tasty, actually, but. There was no you, know there was no zap, or. Or. The kinks, or the or. The Beatles she did have Sergeant, Pepper that was a big wound so anyway that that's like kind of my first it's. Kind of my first taste of first. Things I remember he would sing a lot of like old old Hank, Williams the real Hank Williams to us and uh. Bob. Wills and Texas Playboys and. And. Merrill, Haggard, and Willy and. You. Know that, that kind of thing and then. He, had records, by. Parliament. Yet. He had just had this really diverse, record, collection, that you. Know was that kind of like he you, know he grew, up a Philly. You, know Jersey. Doo-wop. Not. You know and. Then. Like by the time he, was raising kids. He. Resumed, with. You. Know Kool and the gang and Parliament, stuff, like that so. Really. Weird so that's my first memory and, that rock and roll there. Was a family, down the street that. Had like five kids Irish, family and they. All took turns babysitting. Me and they. Had a they, had record, collections they were teenagers and they turned, me on to I remember hearing Ziggy Stardust. Remember. Hearing Lynyrd. Skynyrd, one, more from the road the live record. Remember. Here in. Southside. Johnny, and the Asbury, Jukes you. Know and and and the Beatles The Beatles was the first thing that really turned me out like the Beatles, it. Still you, know always has been my favorite band always will be my favorite band but that that. Just like turned, me out I got the you. Know I had a wiped out copy of sergeant Pepper's and then I got those two, Greatest, Hits records, the double record the red one yeah Sarandon, blue yeah the red one 62, to 66, and then the 67. To 72. Or 70, or you. Know and that and it had the lyrics if you remember on the original, sleeves, and that stuff.
Man That was just like an, endless. You. Know I I, think. When you're a kid like, mystery. Is, like a really big thing, in rock-and-roll, it should be mysterious, and dangerous and. And. The. Beatles man knows the Lear in the lyrics too like I am The Walrus and of course their voices on the older stuff just. That that like, that was really what, kind, of like turned. Me out and then, I mean I'm just gonna keep rambling, go. For is I mean really. It's, to answer this question properly, I have to but, but um and, then. And then it's, a shame it doesn't really happen anymore as far as I I can tell but the radio the radio was huge, you know I mean growing. Up in the 70s, and 80s you, know the radio. Was everything, you know that's that's, where, you. Know I would I'd, listen to the dr. Demento show, religiously that. So did Aaron when he was a kid, that was a big part of the weird things, and. We later, on and and uh you. Know the King Biscuit flower hour doing whole concerts, I guess. Those are my roots, I. Mean. You know and, and then later on I went on to find my like real influences. After. That but that's the original stuff, after that you. Know I just became, all about the funk and all about the, guitar for, a long time Bob Dylan, you, know very. Very classic standard. Normal, tastes Zeppelin, and. Rick's Carlos. P-funk. The Beatles, stones. Yeah, and I don't think your influences, ever changed, really I think that that. That. Is over when you're like 16 or 17, you. Know you're always gonna go back to those records, yeah. And, was it was it a bonding thing with you and your dad or or was it just kind of you raiding, his collection, it uh, it was, a bonding, thing but. Not. Nearly, compared, to what it is now you know um because. I know his. I, know what he's gonna like you know and he, knows what I'm gonna like and surprisingly, enough you. Know my seven mid-70s, father could. Send me a YouTube video of something that I've never heard that's so funky, that's. Like that's pretty amazing actually because he's not a musicologist, by, any means you know he's not, you.
Know I don't know I doubt he has an iTunes account or you, don't I mean right, did. Anybody else in your family play, no. That's. The other really strange thing is I, have. I have two halves of my family my mother is Canadian so. I really, didn't grow up I'm obviously I never lived in Canada, and I never really was, nearly, as close with that. Half of my life as I was with my Trenton, Italian. Family you know and. Everybody. In, a, milky. Ando has great great taste in music, has. An incredible sense of rhythm and. Appreciates. And buys and, goes to see live. Music but uh no. I'm the only player as far as I know and, when did that start that started, in around 84. When, I met Aaron. Oh so. You you hadn't been playing on your own at all I, had, the the way that started, was uh I. My. Father is a used car dealer he's retired now but he had a car. Lot down in, Trenton. And there was a music, store across the street and, I was really flipping out on everything. At once I was just taken in you. Know everything, so, I got. Him to buy me like a crappy pawnshop. You know like $25 guitar and, I, just. Tune the strings so, they would make a chord, I didn't, know how to actually play, it I got a drum set first and then I got the guitar so. I was making these like I'd take a tape recorder, down the basement play. A drum beat and then take. It upstairs and, while, I was over dubbing it to another cassette, I'd play a guitar over it and then, and then in so Jess like boom box - boom box yeah yeah yeah it's pretty much, no. No no it was no the four tractors come into play until surprisingly. Like five, years later even. Though they were available then I just didn't know it. At. This point I was 14, okay. Maybe 13, but I met Aaron when I was 14, and. It turns out he was doing exactly the same thing, with. More. Likes. Cassio's. And, and you, know the built in beats from the Cassio's, and, you know it was like a little weird or I hate to just make ween sound so simple but I mean at, first I was like the punk rock not. You, know I was just getting into the I was looking for the most abrasive hardest. Music. That was out there no matter what it was and he. Was into. The. Weirdest, stuff out there no matter what it was and. There were stuff where we met on common ground we both loved. Evo, very, much you know we both loved the, Lori. Anderson Oh Superman, you, know we both love the dr. Demento show, his, father was a hippie his father was at Woodstock okay. My. Father was probably the guy that would, throw rocks at hippies you know so there was there, was you. Know Aaron. Had Aaron's. Dad didn't, have a lot of records either but. Between, the cool ones that I had and the cool ones he, had, it. Was that's. Kind of what we niz you know he had he had you, know everything. From Nina Simone, to the first to Velvet Underground records, Richie. Havens alarm, clock you know -, yeah. III mean everything, Beefheart you know and so. You know those those. Influences. Together you know that's, kind of like what week and then we turned each other on the music as.
It, Was coming out and were you guys teaching. Yourselves, like going straight, up punk rock ethics, or were you taking lessons as well no, no no it was totally, totally taught, ourselves everything. We. That. Didn't come till a little bit later or. Wait, a way, bit later actually um you, know, for a while it was just drums, and that guitar, tuned to an open chord it didn't matter how many strings were even on it you know I just tuned into whatever chord and that was the court I would play with my thumb across all the frets so it would move you know around and then, I think it took us a year more. To get a bass. Pawnshop. It's kind of bass and then, and, then like, one, day. We. Wrote that song you, up it's the first song on our first, record. And it, actually had a. Verse. And a chorus and, it. Was like that was like our first I think that's one of our first if not our first song, song, and. Then I was by that time I was just, I. Thought it was the only one in the world of course like only a teenager would know about Jimi Hendrix you know. Yeah like oh this is a secret, only I know about you know and then. From there as if and then I've done I wanted to play guitar like. Really, really bad and I had a friend. That. Was willing to teach me so, I learned a little bit and I showed Aaron what I was learning and. We were figuring it out on our own and, um. You. Know it's. So interesting too, because. That. First album it feels like your sound is like already developed, yeah. That, stuff, it's. It's really really strange because that I mean, talking about this sounds really pretentious but that record, our. First few records are really kind, of no one has ever really gotten it right. The. First record, was a studio, record, I mean. What and and and there's a huge huge, thing that happened, that no no, one I don't know why no one has ever mentioned it but everything. That we did. Was. With real drums and. You know everything from 84, to 90 had. Real drums on it because, we were living at my parents house, and we, were in high school you know we, graduated, in 88 you, know but they sold the house in like 89, and 90 we got our own place so.
So. We did that first record to 16, track tape in Andrew Weiss's, living room yeah, and we, got to redo all of like if first, record was kind of like a greatest hits of the first six years of wean and it's, kind of it's a rock and roll record, it sounds like a band you know it's it's really, distorted. And you know it's full-on. Drum, kit on almost every single song and then. We moved and, then the next two records was, when we got the four track and we were living in this tiny apartment and. We had to get a drum machine because we couldn't even fit a kit in there and the neighbors were to go on insane so. Our check our sound just completely, changed. From. The second, and third record you know it went we went to being a four track people. Started calling us lo-fi, and, you know and experimental. And all that but. It was just it was just out, of necessity you know like right, but, it never comes up people think you. Know they I don't know if they've never heard the first record or but they just think it was done on a four chanc well I was actually particularly, talking about like your guitar sound, it feels. Like that was developed, by the, debut you. Know that that, lead on yeah. Lead on LM Oh however, you know what song I'm talking about yeah yeah LM aware people like that lead is the, ween Dean ween sound thank. You I mean I'm, assuming this is this, is for Berkeley right School of Music yeah well. I mean I don't know I don't know I'm so I'm assuming you're musicians yes. Are you guitarists, I play guitar yeah yeah do I mean have you ever wondered, if you're getting worse, like. Like. I'm, serious. And I don't mean that in a way cuz I know I'm getting better I'm, positive, of it but, I've only wanted like when I stagnate, you know when I yeah. But I hear. Some of that stuff I don't really you know go back and I'm not very reflective, I still want to make new music I go, back and I listen to some of the stuff that we did like if it's a live thing from 89. 88. 87. 90, you know and it's, really. Rad you know the guitar, playing is really rad and it. Was almost like I I almost, have to dumb my thing down to get back to that spot. But. You know I mean then. You listen to Neil you. Know Neil has never played better guitar, than. He has in the third. Chapter of his life you know what I mean yeah or whatever chapter, he's in he's playing the best guitar of his life Prince was easily playing the best guitar of his life, year, after year and you don't only, got better right, and I'm not really a fan but.
I'll Say it Clapton's. Playing but you know I'm not a Clapton, fan I never, really was but you, know and Carlos, even. Though he's making these pop singles, at all Carlos. Rules. Carlos, is shredding, you know you, know I, know. I've got more skill, and more knowledge, more, more. Game now but but. It was like he figured you at that point you had already figured out like okay I like a phaser, I like distortion, phaser, a wha want an echo that's still what I use that's, yeah that's, a. That's that's, pretty much it but, you. Know. But. Then then there's other people like you listen to like ritchie blackmore, III, see, him. You. Know even, from like the, mid to late 70s and, he. Can't play the solo from, the highway star you know like. He just can't play that fast or that whatever and it's like you. Know, but. You gotta keep yourself scared you gotta keep challenging. But. I'm I'll deconstruct, if, I need to you know, it. Wasn't always the strap for you from the very GetGo us after that yeah Qatar yes. Absolutely. Was. In his I have. I have I have like 40 or 50 guitars but uh I mean. My my, thing. Is so simple it's really funny like I wanted. To play like Jimi, Hendrix, that was to, me to, this day I mean from the first day and to this day that's, the greatest guitar player in the world there's no argument, that can be made for. Anybody else in, a close second, you know what I mean and, so I. Wanted to know what he had you know so it was like okay a strat, a wah-wah and allowed. Amp you know that that's all I needed to know and as it turns out, my. Friend Billy Tucker who taught me to play guitar played. Exactly, that so. You. Know I'd never changed, I just like started, there and uh. You. Know Tucker played it too and, these. Were the gauge strings he bought and this was this mean the gauge picks he, used and, this was the kind of guitar and, I. Just have never really yeah. I've tried other stuff but that's my thing now at this point you know right no, there's no there's no backing away from it you. Know it. Would almost be weird if you switched now I mean I do I do i I've, got really, nice a lambic, guitar now like a really, beautiful. One they made for me that's, probably the nicest guitar, I've ever played in the whole world but. I can borrow anybody's. Strat from, any year, in any, condition, made in any country, could be Japanese, Mexican. Vintage. Custom. Shop and. I can go to, an amp and turn. Without, even being on. Turn the dials, kick, that thing on and know exactly what's gonna come out of it you know what I mean that's, my, strap, yeah, let's, back up a tiny bit you know with those first three albums and, what point did you know it was a career, and you knew that this is ever. Never. I'm. Still waiting for people to figure out that, we don't know what the hell we're doing at all to be honest with you but, I remember, I first saw you guys on the I think as the chocolate and cheese tour and like Providence it, was a small room and I think that was your first tour with, the band right yeah yeah that. Was the second, that might have been the second. Show, we. Played Maxwell's the night before was the very first yeah. And then that was the second, one it was great but it was just interesting, because you. Know there were some songs that the band would sit out because they have yeah we all and that was the last time we did that too really, so when, we when, we went, through this thing where, we, was.
So, Closely. Identified as, the two of us and the tape deck you know what I mean. Going. To see us live was not going to see like a rock. Concert. Like, in any other I. Don't. Think you compared, us to anything because it, was just the two of us in a cassette deck of me playing the real drums on it yeah, you. Know in the back so when, we went and made that record it. Was very slick, sounding, for us first, of all and we were very insecure that, you, know about it it was like oh. Not. In a sell-out way but just sort of like a. Change. To Drudge a dramatic, change you know from. You. Know the sort, of vibe, that we'd established with, the second. And third one so, to go out with a live band it was like I mean. I think I still have close, friends that believe that like that was it for ween when we went to real big it feels like 30 years ago now but. That's what I remember I remember from that show I was interesting there was this guy there who was just yelling like chocolate, and cheese is a great. Album, and that was what I yelled between songs and it was not that well attended, which is surprising, it was interesting, because it felt like that, was almost. The affirmation like, he was he almost perceived, the insecurities, of the band or something and he was just yelling that it yeah. That was that was see now that was like that's a really funny sure. I'm I'm. I don't, think I'm positive. I've never met anybody that was there I remember that I wanted to kill myself after that show really. I, thought it sucked so bad but, we were going through an identity crisis. And. Like I said I I. Elephants. Memory but I remember playing voodoo lady that, night with the backing tracks behind. Us and like something else played. A couple songs like that and, it. Was just totally, like a, sign. Of weakness it was like we weren't committed, completely, and and. Within, like 2 or 3 weeks of that we. Were playing three hour concerts. And like, like the wean of today you know I mean yeah we just totally, ditched it abandoned. It never. Had that insecurity, again, it's, just so its first few shows, and. It was like screw, that you know all, these songs that had always been exactly a minute and 30, seconds, like played I got a weasel the same way for like seven years up, to that point yeah could now become 30, minute songs you know and we, were having such a ball figuring out how to do it you know and. Then, it just got like from, there you. Know it just got way way way, over the top you, know like like I said three four-hour concerts, so. You saw you saw something that was like it's, a three-hour like. Transition. Phase right. Right. And it's, interesting too like coming from such a punk rock background, and. I had a punk rock background as well and and watching, that show it was really exciting to see the possibilities. Of what two people can do and what a band can do and then it was interesting, to it I think it, was the mollusc tour was after that or maybe later on chocolate, cheese seeing you guys I'm watching, like jam kids were coming out I kind of forget that it was something. So, weird, at, first for. Us when that happened, because, now it's so ordinary, but. Um you know it's like the last thing, in the world you would expect would be the Weiner, lay on the bill with moe and fish you, know you, know. Like that but, we had, the. Stuff, in cata we actually. Jam. And I mean I'm. Not gonna name names but, I'm just gonna dis every, single band on that scene at once I mean that Jam jamming. Is jamming, his deep, purple, made in Japan you know I mean say that's jamming, they're rocking out you know yes lot you know they're jam you know crimson. You know it's. It rocks but it jams but it's in the context, of a song it's not just all the, jam and plus. It, has no teeth that it doesn't a, lot. Of that stuff doesn't rock at all well I, haven't found anything that really rocks you know I mean, the Allman Brothers are a jam band you know the Grateful Dead Jam, you know deep, purple, jams hey Carlos. Jammed. James. Brown jams you know but but uh you. Know if you can't just start off with a jam.
You Know I mean if it's you're gonna do a 20-minute. Song and it's, pre-planned, well that's, right there you know like. I'm, always waiting for that moment where the distortion kicks, in you know yeah, you know like ten minutes into the soul all sudden, the flanger, and the distortion, and then you get to Echoplex and, you're freaking, out on acid and like in fists or in the air you know it. Just doesn't happen like it, doesn't happen you know I think, that's where we come in, alright. So, throughout that period when, you're going in chocolate cheese and, you're, on Elektra, you know the previous album was on Elektra and that's that's big at the time and are you at that point realizing. This is a career or are you still just um, the. Only time that I ever realized that I had a career. Honestly. Was and and. This is totally true I I pumped. Gas. Six. Days a week and Aaron worked at a taco place. And. We. Never got paid for anything and and I. Never. Expected. To and I I don't like when bands play. My local bar and they expect, to get a couple Hondo or something you know it's like. Forget. It you know like. Don't, assume you're, coming in that you know if you get some, couple, bucks that's great all, right you know at that point and life. But but, um we. Made uh we. Had made Godwin Satan, and. We. Made we, made the pod and we. Got a publishing, deal on. A chapel, uh, for. A whopping three, thousand, dollar advance. Which. We had to split and pay, the IRS which, of course we didn't set, any money aside for them so, I had fifteen hundred and I. Was. Like hey. I'm a working musician I mean, I was like, that's. The best check I ever got in my life actually was that first check that publishing, check you. Know and we, had just signed away like, a hundred, and fifty songs for. Like 20 years, for. Three, grand yeah, but. You know we, got it all back eventually you know all that expired, but I mean that's I think that's the first time I quit the job at the, mobile station because. Of weird we had obligations on, the road and, you.
Know My boss was so happy for me and you. Know it, was uh he. Was the man and pump them for the man right yeah yeah, but, I mean that I think that was when I felt like I was like really like working. Ah I, don't know I mean, I say. Things in interviews, Aaron does it too and, you met you maybe. You lie to yourself or you remember, it you hear about it from other people then you you start to remember it that way you. Know like how how, it really was I mean how it really was was like no, thought went into anything you know it's, just you, know just go go, go go, go but you know when. We are eighteen on it what does any eighteen-year-old, out of high school want to do you know we, wanted to record and we wanted to tour, we wanted to travel and our, first tour right when we got out of high school with God we and Satan was Europe, you. Know I mean what the that was yes, when, did you guys realize, that hey. Oh my god we really do have a unique offering, you know in our combination. Of, songs, that are really good songs. Are serious, the songs that are silly songs, that aren't making fun of other bands, well I honest, to god I mean and I, wish I had more of it in me now I know that every band has it. At. That. Age. Of your life, I was. So positive that I was in the greatest band of all time in. The history, of all recorded, music better, than Bach in the beatles, look you know and, we, sucked at. That point but, i felt that way for a really really long time i you, know and it was just righteousness. Young, righteousness. You know I. Thought, we were poorer than anybody, you know but, that, is. A great thing you know and then. Later. On when you grow. Up or whatever the expression is you, find, out you, know you order you realize that you're just part of like the eternal song, that's been going on forever you don't I mean mm-hmm. You know we're all contributing to it it's not right to if you don't like some other bands music I'm. Really guilty, of it you shouldn't diss on them you know I mean yeah cuz if it gets somebody off out, there if they have fans and it gets them off and.
Why Who. Am I to spoil, it for them and say no that blows you know but, don't mistake what I'm saying for the that. I, we. Don't have that righteousness, yeah not. As we're just not as, obnoxious about, it now. You. Know with. The way you guys have, made, fun of fans in song. Like. That, that's not what I mean that's. Uh no no I'm talking about in the press I was pitying I'm talking about I'm, talking about in the press I don't think wieners ever been guilty of making fun, of. Some. Of a band on a song. And. If. We are it's, so. Obscure, that nobody. It would go over so, many people's heads you know it like right I guess that tributes, the humorous, tributes, like Gabrielle, but, it's but it's not though it's it's it's I mean the the way, that song, went down I, remember. It correctly I wrote that song I just, discovered, Thin Lizzy probably that week you know, yeah, and was so listening to nothing but that you know and I wrote that song and that's. About as much thought as went into that you don't I mean there was no there, was no whatever, about. It you know there's no, I. Don't. I don't even we. Had to answer that kind of question for, so, many years, right we don't anymore which, is great it's like you, know what what are their you know that's, okay but, you know what what are what are these guys intentions. You know they're. They're trying now I mean I they're trying to do everything you know what I mean it's like a we're in the rule book if there is a rule book says. That you can't do everything you. Know right, then. I always took it to be a tribute. Like the you know old man Thunder, being kind of a Seger tribute, yeah there's, just it's, like a little thing you know it's a second little put, it on there you know I'm glad it's on there, well. With the, Dean ween group project, what, well. I guess what's different aside from the obvious and Aaron being absent. Well. It's, not a project it's very much so I fully, intend on making. That's. How making them you know forever you, know I can't, anymore I. Mean. Just you, know the, obvious, thing is that, I have to do everything myself which. I hate I'm starting over it's starting to really get old I'm, actually recording with Kurt Vile he's gonna walk in any minute oh cool, yeah.
Yeah, We, just. Started recording together, that's. So funny I last, episode, was charlie hall from war on drugs, he's, Curt files been such a weird, character, in in our podcast there's, a lot of synergy there yeah. We interviewed Jen lowers, Courtney, and Barnett's partner and they were on tour together Kurt, Vile walks in in the middle of that podcast taking, a shower right yeah. I'm just learning about all this I just met Kurt when we did Bonnaroo, last year so close. We both live right in the same area and he's a really nice, due to the cool vibe and we'd love the same records and I knew immediately we'd, be able to play together and write together that's great so yeah we have been and it, went way. Better than you know any. Of us could you, know either, of us could have expected, so now we're, all over it but, you know we niz I hate. Fresh. And wean, and, Dean. Mean and moist boys everything I've ever done is totally, DIY, I mean I. Have. Engineered. Produced. Recorded. Played. Written. Sang. Mixed. Mastered, every, single, note and has so much work then, you have a business, side of music that, no one needs to know about if you're a music fan you know what I mean but that takes up 90%. Of what I if. If there's, if we there's, a hundred percent of ween ten. Percent of it is me making music, you know ninety percent is, me on the phone, you know, you. Know making, is right, you know. And. So. When. It comes to that music thing they have to motivate myself to go to the studio alone, and sit you know sit. There alone all night you, know and see a song through you know III can do it I mean I've been doing it my whole life but. I love. Bouncing. Ideas and, collaborating. You. Know and and I, guess. That's the biggest difference you know right. Right, and also, with wean while, also with wean I didn't, we. We, don't. Think. Never, thought of things as a band, when, we were recording it you know the adaptation. For the stage was a whole different animal, you, know and I think I'm working so much with the band. Now. That, I really like it you know I may. Be subconsciously. Think, of things you know I'm starting to think more in terms of, the stage you, know I love, it you know because right now that's the only way to make. This. Tour all right not kidding record you never got record royalties, even you, know 30 years ago so now you you, know against. Ocean man commercial, whatever that was must have helped out alright yeah I mean that made it's like a whopping, 60 200 bucks I think before, Commission's, oh that's it something. Like that oh man I thought that was everywhere. No. Like a rock by Bob Seger made. A lot of money some. Yeah ocean. Man for the one week, it was on for a Honda no, I thought, right. Alright, how is the dynamic of, like the, Dean wing group and then when, Aaron comes back into the fold is it just like seamless. Sir I don't really want to go into that very much it's it's not it's not any different. Really I mean we learned to. Play together you, know we learned to everything, you know I mean we we. Are on exactly. The same page when we step on a stage you know it's. Especially. The demon group is most. Of the guys for, all the guys from Wahines right right so, if anything I like to I like to kick back and not have to sing as much.
Right. I love, both I'm getting best of everything right now my. Mind you know that's great I love it you know what, do you make of all this you know you've been doing this for, 34. Years alright 34. Years. Yes. You're. Not gonna believe me no one believes me so I don't even know if I should say it but I don't. I don't, do anything any differently. Honestly I mean we've got nicer gear I'm, better, at, writing. I'm, better at playing better. Performing. You know but. I approach. It the same exact. Way I don't I don't, have I don't take away any sense. Of pride or, I bet. Better way to say it is I don't reflect. At all, I, feel. Like I know, I can speak for Claude, and. Most. Of my friends. That. That that play you know I'm, only as good as the last song I wrote or, the last gig I did yeah. You know that's that's how I feel about it hold on a sec I think, Kurt's here can we wrap it up yeah well the. Last thing is just what's, the song you enjoy playing the most after all these years the, song I enjoy playing the most is, roses. Are free the, one that fish covers, and the. One that like people, that, have no idea what the hell they're talking about on the Internet assume is like something, you know if we play it on a jam festival, they think there's some calculated. Thing I, love. Well I love the song first. Of all but. I love it because every, single guy, in the band is doing something, different and it's, playing full-tilt the whole song it's. Like the ultimate soundcheck. Song you know it's like everybody. Is doing something tasty, at the same time as. Hard, as they can and it. Makes this one big beautiful sound so, that's actually my favorite song to play live as roses, are free, the. One that started the whole fish, jam, band thing. And this. Is where I would play you an, excerpt of the roses are free by. Wayne, but. I'll leave it to you to seek that out and enjoy, on your own the music of ween and the Dean ween group. Rock. Too is, out on March 16th. On schnitzel. Records. Special. Thanks to juan camilo Sarasa, Norah. Terrell Chandler. Martin Andrew. Walls, Gabriel, raipur Cohen and thanks. To you for listening. Stay. Tuned for a new exciting, serial. Podcast from, Berklee online coming, soon and I. Will talk to you next month.
2018-06-25 23:04
You got an awesome interview!
Wow. Awesome interview. It's funny there's not a hell of a lot more comments. One thing I'm trying to figure out, though, is if he was actually dissing on Yes and King Crimson or if he was praising them. I've personally always been a fan of classic prog rock (King Crimson, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis, Camel, Gentle Giant, etc.) but Ween is my top favorite band by a long shot. I've always wondered what him and Aaron thought about progressive rock, but especially those two particular bands that he mentioned. Either way, I can sit there and listen to him talk music and all of the bands that influenced him all day long. As a beginner guitarist, Mickey is my #1 influence. Basically everything he said about Hendrix is what I say about him. Whatever equipment he has, I want. I can't wait until I can afford to get a guitar upgrade (from a Squier bullet strat to a real Fender Stratocaster) and change the pickups to what he uses and perhaps do a few other modifications that are similar to his, then invest in a good amp and a pedal. I must have watched that guitar moves episode with him as a guest a million times. That is the video that inspired me to pick my guitar back up after not touching it for a while.
Deaner can borrow my Strat any day...
What a great interview. Thanks
He uses hot rails in the bridge pickup and lace sensors in the neck and mid pickups
It's cool to be influenced by guitar players.Dean is great.but you should really try n get your own sound and style.not just copy someone else's.not being a dick,lol.just a suggestion
Awesome interview, thanks a million, we love you Mickey! WEEN FOREVER!
+Michael DeMatteis ugh
Deaner started out sounding like his influences too. It takes a while to develop a unique style. Nothing wrong with emulating another player when you're first getting into guitar.
This is awesome, thank you. Shout out to mig.