Ween was an American experimental rock band. They formed in 1984 in New Hope, Pennsylvania when central members Aaron Freeman (Gene Ween) and Mickey Melchiondo (Dean Ween) met in an eighth grade typing class. Ween has a large cult underground fanbase despite being less known in American pop music. The band's style is eclectic, and while they could generally be referred to as rock music, one of their defining tendencies has always been toward experimentation with various styles, often incorporating a strong element of humor and absurdity. Both Gene and Dean are skilled multi-instrumentalists who frequently have overdubbed various instruments on their recordings, though they also record with the regular touring band as well. Gene is normally the lead vocalist and Dean the lead guitarist. Lead singer Freeman announced to Rolling Stone on 29 May 2012 that he was "retiring Gene Ween", and a few days later, Ween's manager, Greg Frey, told fans on Facebook that Freeman had decided to "end his musical relationship with Ween," in order to "more fully explore and pursue his solo career".

Dean Ween (b. September 25, 1970) is the stage name of Michael "Mickey" Melchiondo, Jr., American guitarist and half of the alternative rock group Ween.

Growing up, Melchiondo listened to a variety of music. Because of this, he has a very wide range of musical influences.

Dean later met Aaron Freeman (Gene Ween) in a junior high school typing class in their hometown of New Hope, Pennsylvania, and although the two did not get along at first, they soon found they were soul brothers and thus adopted the common surname. The Ween brothers were soon spending all of their time in Melchiondo's bedroom, Melchiondo banging out songs on guitars tuned to open chords and Freeman wailing out the "good word" of the Boognish (a demon god that first appeared outside of their classroom at school and offered them the scepters of wealth and power for their "services") into a cheap microphone. Within a few years, the two found themselves opening for the likes of underground favorites such as the Butthole Surfers and Henry Rollins.

Jane Pratt (born November 11, 1962) is the founding editor of Sassy and Jane, and current editor of xoJane.com. She is the host of the talk show Jane Radio on Sirius XM Radio.

Raised in Durham, North Carolina, she attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts at the age of fifteen. After Phillips, Pratt enrolled at Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, where she received a degree in Communications with a minor in Modern dance. Her publishing career began with internships at Rolling Stone magazine and Sportstyle, a Fairchild Publication. After graduating, Pratt landed her first job as assistant editor of McCall's and in 1986, became an associate editor of Teenage Magazine. From there she went on to found Sassy Magazine.

At the age of 24, Pratt became the founding editor of Sassy, a magazine for teenage girls. Under Pratt, the magazine experienced rapid circulation growth. The magazine's hipness factor increased dramatically when it issued a limited-edition Sonic Youth flexi-disc (a cover of the New York Dolls "Personality Crisis") and it became known that band members Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon were fans of the teen magazine.