Ween Shares Surprise ‘Golden Wastes’ EP Of ‘12 Golden Country Greats’ Outtakes

Ween has once again opened the vault surrounding 12 Golden Country Greats, unexpectedly sharing a new four-song EP entitled Golden Wastes.

The collection arrives just weeks after the band celebrated the 30th anniversary of their 1996 country masterpiece with an expansive deluxe reissue featuring over 20 previously unreleased recordings from the era.

As its title suggests, Golden Wastes gathers four additional tracks that didn’t make the deluxe edition of 12 Golden Country Greats, offering another glimpse into the sessions that produced one of the most beloved and unusual albums in the Ween catalog.

The EP opens with “I’m Holding You (Waste Version),” a take on the tender country ballad that appeared on 12 Golden Country Greats. One of the more interesting tracks on the collection, “There’s A Smooth Talkin’ Dude Around,” follows. The outtake is a rock-forward version of “Pretty Girl,” a song that would get the full country treatment for the album proper.

Golden Wastes continues with an alternate take of “Mister Richard Smoker,” one of the 12 Golden Country Greats tracks Ween played most in concert between 1996 and 2024. The EP ends with “I’m Gonna Fix Your Ass,” an alternate version of a song first released on the deluxe reissue.

A note about “I’m Gonna Fix Your Ass” was shared on Ween’s social channels, which reads:

Originally up for consideration as a part of the Chocolate and Cheese deluxe set, but ultimately left on the cutting room floor. The mix used on 12 Golden Country Greats Deluxe Edition is the one that Deaner earmarked for inclusion. A country ballad about being ripped off by someone in your social circle that includes the epic verse “Dude, Man, F**k You”. The full version of Deaner’s doodle can be seen in the booklet for the upcoming 12GCG Deluxe release!

Listen to Golden Wastes below:

The release provides another unexpected addition to what has already become a remarkably comprehensive look at the making of 12 Golden Country Greats. The deluxe edition included demos, outtakes and other previously unreleased material from the sessions, expanding considerably on the 1996 album.

12 Golden Country Greats was recorded in Nashville with a group of accomplished session musicians dubbed the Shit Creek Boys, while the Jordanaires — famous for their work with Elvis Presley — contributed backing vocals to “I’m Holding You” and “Powder Blue.”