Boognish
The Boognish is a demon-god who is the patron saint of Ween. His image is the band's mascot and symbol. He appears on the cover of GodWeenSatan: The Oneness as well as the belt on Chocolate and Cheese. The classic Boognish image is often projected behind Ween when they play live.
Though extremely well known to fans and often mentioned in early tracks, The Boognish remains a vague character. When asked directly about Boognish by a fan while doing a radio Q&A ("Can you tell me about Boognish?") Gener responded by saying "Nope. Sorry, next caller."[1]
Recorded History[edit | edit source]
One of the first recorded mentions of Boognish can be heard on the 1987 tape The Crucial Squeegie Lip, on the first track, "Introview", where he was given a backstory. Dean Ween stated on the track that "we were in typing class when it came to us, and [we] both saw him at the same time, out the window [...] So, immediately, we cancelled all of our plans for that day, and when school ended, Aaron came over. And we put down what Boognish told us, on tape, in the form of music. And that was the birth of Ween."[2]
In the track off Axis: Bold as Boognish, "Opus 51 Fugue Trilogy in A (Take Me to the Tree)", Boognish was once again referred to as being outside the window: "Boognish will make himself clear to me, outside the window in a tree, yes a tree."[3]
The GodWeenSatan: The Oneness track "Up on the Hill" references Boognish and his backstory directly in a few lines, mentioning specifically that "in a dream, [he] said he was comin'". Boognish was stated to have held "scepters of wealth and power", and had said "by God I've come to take you home".[4] A biography of the band in 1990 from Twin/Tone Records (which released GodWeenSatan) stated that the Boognish only visited them twice afterward at the time of the biography's writing: once to punish Gener for trying to leave the band, and again in an unspecified incident the band refused to discuss.[5]
The final mentions of Boognish in any known Ween song come from two Chocolate and Cheese demos, "Young Chou Lin" and "The Stallion Pt. 4".
Boognish appears in the animated music video for "Transdermal Celebration" as a race of bodyless creatures that hop around on two arms.[6]
When asked in a 2014 interview "How do you feel about that culture in your music? Is Boognish still a thing to you? Or are those days gone?", Gener responded by saying:
"No. No no no. That’s a good question. I still very much believe in the Boognish. It’s amazing. The whole thing was kinda cosmic. We created this deity, Mickey and I, in 1986. And we called it the Boognish, and that was our little dude. But over the years, and I really believe this stuff, so many people, whether they had it tattooed or whatever. I set the groundwork that it was a demon and a god. Yin and yang. The forces of good and darkness in all the universe. That’s what the Boognish represents. He’s also a total fucker. I blame him for a lot of things. The more I try to get away from the Boognish deity, the worse he’s going to make it for me, if I ever really try to ignore that he exist. And I know Mickey’s the same way. So no, the Boognish was not just some little fanciful thing that I’m above now. The Boognish is very real, and it will haunt me, and control me for the rest of my life. I always have to beware of it, or I will pay the price."[7]
Boognish as a Song Theme[edit | edit source]
Some Ween songs contain direct references to the Boognish.
Examples[edit | edit source]
- Boognish (song)
- Opus 51 Fugue Trilogy in A (Take Me to the Tree) - "Boognish will make himself clear to me, outside the window in a tree, yes a tree"
- The Stallion Pt. 4 - "I raised my hand up high, and Boognish was looking onward"
- Up on the Hill - "By the word of the Boognish, I said Lordy Lordy Lord, I'm comin' home"; "In a dream, said he was comin', Boognish was risin' up from the mist. He had the scepters of wealth and power, and said by God I've come to take you home"
- Young Chou Lin - "Boognish stood at the head of the table screaming"