WEEN Is Selling Replicas Of The Chocolate & Cheese Belt
The merch that has long eluded fans is finally a reality. Championship belts will be available during a limited preorder window. Underboob not included
FUCKING ZOIKS! Someone give me $199.99
My first memory of the band WEEN is watching Beavis & Butthead eviscerate the “Push Th’ Little Daisies” video, but my second, and just as memorable, involves seeing the album Chocholate And Cheese in record stores. The cover photo was so dynamic with that legendary underboob and a woman’s tanned torso taking up the entirety of the frame. It felt almost illegal to have that on display. Without a hype sticker, accompanying advertising, or prior knowledge, there would be no indicator of what this release was other than the letters sewn onto a leather championship belt. They spelled out “WEEN“… more or less. There was a massive image of the band’s mythical demon-god, Boognish,” forged in gold and positioned dead center between the rhinestone “WE” and the “EN.” Chocolate And Cheese grabbed my attention back in 1994 and has retained it for the last 31 years.
That iconic belt remains one of the most recognizable symbols associated with the New Hope, Pennsylvania group. For a lot of us weirdo fans, it always felt like the missing merch item that was beyond our reach. Some pretty amazing belt buckles were manufactured to help promote C&C, but those are incredibly rare to come by. With their red circle overlaid by an oversized gold Boognish, the buckles made direct reference to the album cover. Public consensus seems to be that they were given to radio stations around the time of release. Last year, the band offered an enamel pin resembling the C&C belt, but we’ve never had the opportunity to obtain an actual full-size version until now.
Today WEEN has announced preorders for a replica of the infamous championship belt and, based on product images, they appear to have gone all out on its production. The colors and design look fairly spot on, other than minor details. More specifically, the eyes are each one piece, unlike the album belt, which had separate dots for the pupils. Other than that… pretty, pretty, good. The colors and design appear incredibly accurate, and the materials seem to be quality.
According to the official product page, “The belt is constructed of 100% genuine dyed leather and finished with applique patches and rhinestones, topped off with a die-cast Boognish center plate. While the belt is meant for display, it does have a functional pin buckle for those who simply HAVE to wear it.“
These are being offered as a timed edition, meaning that the window to order will remain open for a set amount of time, and then produced in a run based on the amount purchased. The price will be $199.99 with a preorder window closing after June 30th. Items are expected to ship by late August.
They claim these belts are “a must-have for any Ween fanatic,” and it does kind of feel that way. That said, I also feel a little bit like a dog that’s been chasing a car only to be confused now that I’ve caught it. What am I supposed to do with a giant C&C belt if and when I get it? If I’m being completely honest with myself, I know I don’t have the underboob to pull it off. If I do convince myself to pull the trigger, I’m sure I can find some way to rationalize it.
Check out the product images below and/or head to WEEN.com to preorder by the end of the month.
