In a brand new interview with Ronni Hunter of the 99.7 The Blitz radio station, Wolfgang Van Halen was requested if the upcoming third album from his MAMMOTH venture will embody any concepts left over from the band’s first two albums, each of which had been launched below the MAMMOTH WVH banner, 2021’s “Mammoth WVH” and 2023’s “Mammoth II”. He stated (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Not something particularly, I believe, this time recording round. There’s all the time concepts you have a look again on — [MAMMOTH‘s recently released single] ‘The Finish’ sort of got here from that concept from over 10 years in the past — however I believe this time round, from the recording that I’ve accomplished, it is all fairly contemporary.”
Requested how he decides which new songs so as to add to the setlist when he’s performing stay with MAMMOTH, Wolfgang stated: “I believe a giant response, at the least when doing a present stay and opening for someone and folks do not actually know who you’re, folks actually reply to tempo. So I bear in mind once we began taking part in ‘One other Celebration [At The End Of The World]’ from our final album, once we began opening with that, folks actually, actually dug it simply due to the tempo. [Laughs] So you have simply gotta discover little issues like that.”
Requested if he and the remainder of MAMMOTH change the setlist in any respect prior to every present or in the event that they “just about stick” to the identical setlist each night time, Wolfgang stated: “Prior to point out, we all the time determine on what it’s, however generally from soundcheck to point out, it is, like, ‘Yeah, let’s do that as an alternative. This one’s feeling a bit higher.’ Or, ‘We had been simply right here a short time in the past. Let’s make certain we give ’em a distinct music.’ Little issues like that. However usually we prefer to try to do the songs we have been doing, in case we make a mistake on one thing we have not been targeted on.”
Earlier within the month, Wolfgang — who’s the son of legendary VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen — spoke to Sylvia Alvarado of the Las Vegas radio station KOMP 92.3 about his choice to drop the “WVH” initials from his MAMMOTH WVH band title previous to the discharge of “The Finish”. MAMMOTH, as Wolfgang‘s band is now identified, is a nod to household historical past — Eddie Van Halen and Alex Van Halen‘s band was known as MAMMOTH when singer David Lee Roth first joined it in 1974. Wolfgang stated: ”It is what I’ve all the time needed it to be. It is simply we did not have the trademark. And so now that we do, we are able to lastly be what I’ve all the time needed to be… I imply, I all the time say [just] ‘MAMMOTH‘ [in reference to the band] at [our] exhibits anyway. Now it is simply official.”
Wolfgang beforehand mentioned the MAMMOTH WVH title change throughout a Could 11 question-and-answer session at WDHA‘s “Mammoth For Ya’ Mama!” occasion at Debonair Music Corridor in Teaneck, New Jersey. He stated on the time: “[MAMMOTH is] what we needed [to call the band] the entire time. It was purported to be a direct reference to my Dad’s, the primary band the place he was the singer, ‘trigger I am taking part in guitar and I am singing.”
Addressing the truth that he requested his father for permission to make use of the MAMMOTH band title for his solo venture, Wolfgang, who grew to become VAN HALEN‘s bassist in 2006 on the age of 15, continued: “I used to be nervous. I’ve early demos for the music ‘Mammoth’. It was known as ‘Mammoth I’, ‘trigger it was the primary concept I ever wrote that was, like, ‘It is gonna be for my band MAMMOTH.’ I believe it was in, like, 2013 that I wrote the thought. And I did not ask Dad till, like, 2016. I believe we had been on that final [VAN HALEN] tour. And I used to be like, ‘Hey, Pop, is that cool if I name my band MAMMOTH?’ And he was, like, ‘Fuck, yeah.’ And I do not know why I used to be so nervous to ask him, as a result of, God, he was essentially the most supportive particular person apart from my mother in my life.”
Circling again to why his band is now known as simply MAMMOTH, Wolfgang stated: “Man, is it a fucking tight rope to stroll, with the shadow I am below and the expectations. And it is, like, I wanna be capable to have the chance to reference my lineage, however not copy it and simply put a flag in it and sit there and play ‘Panama’ for everyone each night time. I wanna be capable to be my very own particular person.”
Wolfgang additionally talked about what followers can count on from MAMMOTH‘s upcoming third album, which is due later within the 12 months. He stated: ”I do not wanna overrepresent what I have been engaged on by placing… I simply thought ‘The Finish’ was a very cool, thrilling factor. However I believe what I acknowledged throughout this previous recording for what could or is probably not coming quickly, was I used to be uncomfortable, and I assumed that was a cool factor as a result of I used to be beginning to tread floor that I do not assume I might usually simply be doing the identical outdated factor. I used to be having fun with the uncomfortability of going, like, ‘Is that this what I might do? Or is that this one thing new or one thing extra mature?'”
He added: “I believe there’s positively the core MAMMOTH vibes that you’ve got come to count on as a result of that is the robust factor once I file an album now. I’ve people who find themselves going, ‘I need MAMMOTH,’ and I am unable to simply deliver you guys one thing completely different. So I believe you guys will probably be pleased with what [you hear on the upcoming album].”
“The Finish” was launched in Could. The monitor, which was crafted by Van Halen and longtime collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette, is on the market through all digital service suppliers.
To coincide with the one launch, Wolfgang and MAMMOTH launched a music video for “The Finish”. Wolfgang teamed up with legendary director Robert Rodriguez to do a modern-day interpretation of Rodriguez‘s 1996 hit movie “From Nightfall Until Daybreak”. The video tells the story of a rock band that’s booked to play a present at a dive bar and given an ominous warning from the membership proprietor portrayed by Danny Trejo. MAMMOTH decides they know higher, and issues shortly flip dire for the band earlier than a shocking revelation throughout the remaining moments tie the whole video lore from the band collectively. Associates of MAMMOTH, together with Slash, Myles Kennedy and Wolfgang‘s mom Valerie Bertinelli, all present up all through the quick movie. Horror results icon Greg Nicotero supplied his abilities to the video to create zombies, werewolves, and vampires that deliver a lethal finish to the attendees of the present.
MAMMOTH not too long ago introduced a fall 2025 headline run throughout the USA. “The Finish” tour kicks off on October 31 for 5 weeks. Longtime good friend Myles Kennedy would be the particular visitor.
MAMMOTH‘s second album, “Mammoth II”, was launched in August 2023 through BMG. The ten-track file was recorded on the legendary 5150 studio and was produced by Wolfgang‘s good friend and collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette.
MAMMOTH‘s touring lineup options Wolfgang on guitar and lead vocals, Frank Sidoris (SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS) on guitar, Jon Jourdan on guitar and vocals, Garrett Whitlock (TREMONTI) on drums, and Ronnie Ficarro on bass.
Because the launch of MAMMOTH‘s debut album in 2021, the band has headlined exhibits in North America, performed enviornment gigs with ALTER BRIDGE and stadium live shows with each GUNS N’ ROSES and METALLICA.