http://twitter.com/#!/ThatEricAlper/status/207661384048181248

After years and years of rocking venues around the world, Ween has finally decided to call it quits. While announcing the breakup, founding member Aaron Freeman (AKA Gene Ween) said the band had a good run, but it’s time to move on.

Aaron Freeman is finally ready to put his alter-ego to bed. “It’s time to move on,” Freeman told Rolling Stone from his home in New Jersey. “I’m retiring Gene Ween.”

So does that mean the end for Ween, the band that Freeman formed with high school friend Mickey Melchiondo (a.k.a. Dean Ween) in New Hope, Pennsylvania, in the mid-Eighties?

“Pretty much, yeah,” says Freeman. “It’s been a long time, 25 years. It was a good run.”

News of the band’s breakup absolutely devastated fans! Some even expressed their heartbreak all over Twitter.

I feel like I just got punched in the stomach. Ween Forever.

— Festival Crashers (@FestivalCrasher) May 29, 2012

RIP ween. You were a major influence in our music and lives! You are and always will be one of the most creative & talented bands ever!

— The Dudes (@weareTheDudes) May 29, 2012

WEEN ARE BREAKING UP NOOOO

— Mike Stuchbery (@Mike__Stuchbery) May 30, 2012

Not pleased, but not surprised, to hear that Ween has broken up. Most underrated rock band of the 20 years? Uh-huh.

— Steven Hyden (@Steven_Hyden) May 29, 2012

https://twitter.com/triphibian/status/207612937207156736

I'm so sad about #ween breaking up I hope someone sells me a chicken with poison interlaced into the meat

— peter belovai (@qulk) May 30, 2012

WEEN is calling it quits???!!!!!! Tell me this isn't true 🙁 one of my all time faves #boognish

— Yesod Williams (@YesodWilliams) May 30, 2012

The band Ween has been giving us less and less music to get us accustomed to managing without them.

— Brian Lynch (@BrianLynch) May 29, 2012

Ween was the last cool band. #fact #ween

— Rachel Fisher (@TheRachelFisher) May 30, 2012

https://twitter.com/douchemcbaggus/status/207883075777077249

Ween breaking up once is almost as devestating as all of those times Phish got back together.

— Joe Moore (@thejoemoore) May 30, 2012

Thanks, Ween, for making great music all these years. Your dark sense of humor will be missed.

— mattbennett.jpg (@MattBennett) May 29, 2012

No more Ween 🙁 RIP Ween

— Eric Slick (@MrEricSlick) May 30, 2012

Ween have broken up! Time to start the tribute band, Wean.

— Bedroom Philosopher (@beddyphil) May 30, 2012

Just heard that WEEN broke up but Arsenio Hall will have another late night talk show. To say life isn't fair seems like an understatement.

— Josh Freese (@joshfreese) May 30, 2012

We have a feeling they’ll end up back together after a lengthy hiatus.

Only time will tell.

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2012/05/30/heartbroken-fans-deal-with-ween-breaking-up/