Aaron Freeman To Release Freeman Debut LP

Aaron Freeman, who used to go by the moniker Gene Ween as a co-founding member of Ween, has formed a band called FREEMAN that will issue their self-titled debut LP on July 22 via Partisan Records. The news was broken by Jack Black on the actor/Tenacious D front man’s Facebook page.

While Aaron’s solo debut was an album filled of Rod McKuen songs, FREEMAN features Freeman’s first original output since he broke up Ween. FREEMAN consists of Aaron joined by Chris Boerner on guitars, Brad Cook on bass in the studio and Joe Young on bass during live performances, Dave Godowsky on keyboards and Kyle Keegan on drums.

The album’s debut single, “(For A While) I Couldn’t Play My Guitar Like A Man” is unmistakably autobiographical and from the looks of a press release announcing the LP it’s one of many autobiographical songs penned by the sober singer-songwriter. Take a listen to the track:

“There was so much of ‘Aaron had to break up Ween because of addiction’ and ‘Aaron broke up Ween in order to pursue his solo work. But I broke up Ween because we were at a creative dead end way before our last record, La Cucaracha. Basically we were going through the motions, becoming a showcase band,” Freeman said in a press release announcing the album. “I want this record to pay homage to Ween. These are the same songs I would’ve written in Ween—except without [ex-bandmate] Mickey.”

FREEMAN will make their debut at NYC’s Mercury Lounge on on July 22. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 12 p.m. ET. Aaron’s website also lists that he’ll perform at September’s Lockn’ Festival. 

Here’s the tracklist for FREEMAN:

01. Covert Discretion
02. The English and Western Stallion
03. (For a While) I Couldn’t Play My Guitar Like a Man
04. El Shaddai
05. Black Bush
06. Gimme One More
07. More Than the World
08. All the Way to China
09. Golden Monkey
10. Delicate Green
11. There Is a Form
12. I Know a Girl