Transdermal Celebration
| "Transdermal Celebration" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:TransdermalCelebration.png | ||||
| Promotional single by Ween | ||||
| from the album Quebec (album) | ||||
| Released | August 2003 | |||
| Recorded | 2001-2003 | |||
| Genre | Neo-Psychedelia, Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 3:25 | |||
| Label | Sanctuary Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Ween | |||
| Producer(s) | Andrew Weiss | |||
| Ween singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Listen to the song Transdermal Celebration or Buy it on amazon
"Transdermal Celebration" is a single by American Alternative Rock band Ween. It is the third track on their 2003 album Quebec, and was released in August 2003 as a promotional single by Sanctuary Records.
Composition and Recording
The song is in the key of F Major, with the verses in 4/4 and the choruses in 6/8.
Since their drummer Claude Coleman had been in a car crash, leaving him unable to play the drums, the song was recorded at least four times. Once with a drum machine, one demo with Coleman, another demo with Sim Cain, and the final album recording with Josh Freese [1]
The guitar solo was recorded by Dean Ween using a guitar belonging to Carlos Santana (who Dean Ween considers one of his favorite guitarists), and a hard disk recorder.
My roadie told me that Carlos Santana’s equipment (including his guitars) had arrived via a trucking company that night at their depot. Carlos was recording an appearance on “Good Morning America” the next morning and his equipment was to be delivered to the set in NYC in a few hours.
What needed to be done was immediately clear to me, I had an opportunity to play the solo on “Transdermal Celebration” through Carlos Santana’s amplifier and guitar. I had one shot at it, it meant taking a hard disk recorder to a storage space where all of Carlos’ stuff was sitting in transit. I arrived at 2 a.m. We (very carefully) unpacked his equipment and set up his stage gear and in one take I recorded the guitar solo for “Transdermal Celebration” (the one that appears on the album, playing through Carlos Santana’s guitar, pedalboard and amplifier. The whole thing took 10 minutes and we were terrified we were going to get caught. A lot of people would have lost their jobs. We got the fuck outta there really fast after that. So the solo on “Transdermal Celebration” was played through all of Santana’s shit in what resembled an early morning bank heist or something.
— Dean Ween, [2]
Ween added:
I'd like to add that we handled his equipment as if it were the Mona Lisa. We photographed the way his roadie had his cables wrapped and positioned and put everything back exactly as it was found. The whole process was over as quickly as it happened. Also, the respect that I have for Carlos and the depth, spirituality and stamina of his playing is held by my in the highest regard. I am not just a fan of Carlos, I am believer and follower of everything he has done, and yes that includes the crappy singles. I felt it was important to have this be known, there is no one I hold in a higher regard. Also, I have a lifetime of experience, as did the other person involved, it wasn't two drunk buffoons manhandling a legend's gear, the furthest thing from it.
— Dean Ween, [3]
Lyrics
The songs lyrics are a deliberately ambiguous depiction of a drug-induced hallucination or altered state, using increasingly ominous undertones. [4] Some of the lyrics have also been interpreted as a parody of "fake profound" lyrics, especially of those found in Progressive Rock songs. [5]
Music Video
Ween requested submissions from fans for ideas for the music video to the song. The band received a late submission from Australian animator Adam Phillips, the video was based on an email Phillips had received from Gene Ween that detailed the meaning of the lyrics. Upon seeing a rough version of the video made with Adobe Flash in two weeks, Gene Ween told phillips that he loved the video, and wanted to make it the official video of the song. The video was finished by December of 2003.[6][7]
Live Performances
Live performances of the song date back to at least February 2002, where it was played for a New Jersey show that included multiple songs that would eventually make up Quebec.[8] A November performance of the song would later be included on the fifth live album by the band, Live In Chicago
Live performances of the show are transposed to the key of E Major.
Personnel
- Gene Ween – vocals
- Dean Ween – guitar, bass, electric sitar
- Josh Freese – drums
- Glenn McClelland – keyboards
- Andrew Weiss – keyboards, producer, mixing
- Chris Shaw – mixing
References
- ↑ Dean Ween (June 10, 2014). "I think enough time has passed where I can finally tell my favorite Ween story or all time". Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ Bernstein, Scott (June 11, 2014). "Dean Ween Shares Amazing Story Of Using Santana's Gear". JamBase. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ Giles, Jeff. "About the Time Dean Ween Bogarted Carlos Santana's Guitar…". JamBase. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ Kyei, Jamie (May 12, 2026). "Ween – Transdermal Celebration". The Music in My Ears. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ McFerrin, John. "Ween". John McFerrin Music Reviews. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Transdermal Celebration". Internet Archive. Bitey. 2022. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Welcome to Bitey Castle". Internet Archive. Chluaid.com. 2003. Archived from the original on December 10, 2003. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ "2/7/2002 (Thursday), Conduit, Trenton, New Jersey". Retrieved August 17, 2026.
External Links
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