Ween’s White Pepper, released in 2000, is a bit of an odd one in the band’s discography, in that it’s the least odd-sounding out of all the albums Ween laid out on tape. Really, it’s the most streamlined, glossed-out, bordering on stadium-rock record, with hooks abound and a huge accessibility. What brought about that change in direction for that particular time is anyone’s guess. Mine is that there are a few reasons. Firstly being that it was the first where the band truly performed as the five-piece that had been on the road for years at that point. Gene Ween had had his first child a couple years prior and may have been understandably happy as a result during the times of recording. And as he and Dean Ween were approaching 30, maybe they really wanted to make that classic rock record for the masses. Just a few takes on my part, though.

‘Pandy Fackler’ is the ninth track on the album. Not a massive favourite among the general public. It’s got the last second-last amount of listens on Spotify, after instrumental ‘Ice Castles‘, and I’m sure I saw a video where Gener pretty much left the stage so keyboardist Glenn McClelland could carry out an extended solo during the instrumental break. So I think there’s a bit of a ‘toilet/bathroom break’ status about it at live shows. But I think it’s smooth as butter. Fans will know how great it is too. The band introduced it as their ‘Steely Dan song’ in one of its first live performances. Though it does have a ‘Reelin’ in the Years‘ rhythm about it, I think it’s more a reference to the precision, tightness and execution of the band’s performance on it. Steely Dan are known for that type of stuff.

Everything you need to know in order to understand what the track’s about is in its lyrics. Pandy Fackler’s a bit of a strange girl from an ‘ideal’ middle-American family who likes to have a good time in her own way. Here, the narrator sings of their admiration for here, reminiscing on the night they got together in a moment of passion. And after that comes the lengthy keyboard solo carried out by McClelland. It’s a nice jam. Dean Ween’s guitar runs are top-notch. McClelland knows his way around the keys. Rhythm section of Claude Coleman on drums and Dave Dreiwitz on bass hold everything together. And contrary to what I thought all these years, I think it’s a rare occasion on which Deaner does the lead vocals, which is always welcome.