A Fan's Encounter with Dean Ween

So I ran into Dean Ween last week. I have been a Ween fan since I was old enough to start listening to good music. Having older brothers, I was introduced to Guns 'n Roses in first grade and they remained my favorite band up until I reached middle school.

In fifth grade I found Jane's Addiction. They overtook Guns 'n Roses, who were then banished to obscurity until I realized that they were sweet again in late high school.

A couple years later, I discovered Ween. I got obsessed with them pretty quickly and they became my favorite band, although kind of alongside Jane's Addiction and Mr. Bungle.

Let me go on a slight tangent here. On a retreat in eighth grade or so, I was told by an older person (probably in their early to mid twenties) that my favorite bands then would not be my favorite bands a few years down the road. I disagreed with him then (although I wasn't able to prove it because I could not travel forward in time) and I still do.

I've gone through a lot of phases, and I'll admit that a lot of the music that I used to listen to makes me cringe now (see Infectious Grooves). But my favorite bands, and most of the music that I was really into at that time in my life, have continued to hold onto a certain place in my heart and mind.

They have continued to accompany me through a lot of different times in my life, and of course I've continued to find new music that starts to make its way into my psyche. Such as New Buffalo, which just randomly came onto MiPod.

Last Wednesday I went to see the Boredoms at the Starlight Ballroom in Philadelphia. A friend offered me a ticket, and although I'm not an avid fan of their work I do have one of their albums and I'm a fan of Naked City, which Eye (singer in the Boredoms) would guest with a lot.

And then there's Z-Rock Hawaii, the reason that Dean Ween was at this show.

Z-Rock Hawaii is the collaboration of Ween and the Boredoms that came out at some point in the late nineties. I special ordered it from the Borders near my house before it was released. My brother found it at a record store downtown before my copy even arrived. I found out after the show Wednesday that those CDs go for around three hundred dollars on eBay now. Unfortunately, my copy had the fate of so many of my CDs in my college years, and all I have left is the case.

At the show I stood near the front for about a half hour and then headed to the bar to get a drink. On my way there, I saw Mickey (Melchiondo, aka Deaner) sitting at one of the tables, watching the show. I ran into a bunch of people I knew at the bar, got a drink and pointed out that Dean Ween was sitting right over there.

Mickey and Aaron (Freeman, aka Gene Ween) live in New Hope, PA, about forty-five minutes north of Philadelphia (as long as there isn't mad traffic). My band played there probably about four years ago, and Mickey showed up to the show. We pretty much sucked then and although I didn't realize that at the time, I was still too nervous to even look him in the face.

I was in a weird mood last week, though, and I decided that I needed to approach him. After the show, once the music stopped, I would simply introduce myself and tell him that I was a big fan, just to clear the air.

I'm almost inclined to think that he vaguely recognizes me at this point. I'll admit that many of my friends and I have just about stalked the brothers Ween during our teenage years. Outside of one show, I remember trying to get him to give me a hug. He declined, although politely, and said he'd feel weird about it. At the time I wouldn't have, but now I see how weird that is.

I just counted, and I have ten Ween concert tickets, one of which (Jan 1, 1999 at the Trocadero Theater) is signed by Mickey. That also doesn't account for some of the concerts of theirs I saw that didn't have any tickets.

You see my obsession. And this is why, when I walked outside to call my roommate and made eye contact with him while he was smoking a cigarette, I panicked. I was like a deer in headlights. I closed my phone before my roommate picked up and went straight to him.

I think I said something to the effect of, "Hi, I just wanted to approach you because I had the opportunity and didn't do it a few years ago when you saw my band at John and Peter's, but I just wanted to tell you that I'm a huge fan, a lifelong fan. I'm John Vogel. Sorry to make you feel awkward." And walked away.

His expression during this exchange went from a confused "Why is this person talking to me?" to a slight smile, back to confusion and awkwardness. He didn't say a word. It was the most awkward moment I've had in a long time.

It all comes down to the obsession with celebrities and being star struck. It comes down to recognizing someone who's so familiar to you, but they have no idea who you are. I got approached in the super market while picking out tortillas and that also made me feel weird. It wasn't nearly as awkward as this encounter, but it was still weird.

And how many more times can I use the words "weird" and "awkward?" Weird awkward weird awkward weird awkward.

So, sorry Mickey, for making you feel uncomfortable (ah ha! found another word!). Maybe at some point I'll be able to treat you like a real person, but until I get a real opportunity to have a conversation of substance with you, you're still Dean Ween, half of the band whose Pure Guava mouse pad sits on my computer right now.