Wolfgang Van Halen is a man that should need no introduction. If you’re wondering why, just look at his last name. This incredible multi-instrumentalist has been gracing the stages of arenas around the world since he was 14 when he was brought in as the bass player for his father Eddie and uncle Alex’s band Van Halen back in 2006 for their reunion tour with iconic frontman David Lee Roth.
This is a man that has not just been backstage, but has grown up there, and in the years you were only just discovering the music that would remain an important part of your life, he was playing it alongside the best in the world.
But that’s not where his legacy ends. Far from it. If anything, Wolfgang Van Halen is only getting started. After releasing his 2021 debut album Mammoth WVH, an album in which he played every instrument and sang on, he went on to play sold out shows to crowds across the States, played the Taylor Hawkins memorial show in LA (and he destroyed incidentally), had a slot at this year's UK Download Festival (that illustrious leader Browny went and witnessed first hand) and has recently played a run of shows in support of the biggest heavy metal band in the world, Metallica. Are you getting it? There’s a load of second-generation rock stars out there but few, if any have the chops that WVH has.
Wall of Sound got the chance to sit down with Wolf on the eve of the release of his second album Mammoth II (our review here) and talk to the man about his incredible musical journey so far.
Did you think that when you kickstarted Mammoth WVH, that it would blow up as much as it has?
Not at all, in any way. You know, I just do this because it makes me happy. It's my own sort of musical outlet. I write this music for myself. For stuff that I want to hear and do. And to see that so many people find worth in it is such a huge honour. To be able to play these shows for people, that people show up to a show to see this, is it's a crazy huge honour. I'm very, very grateful.
Now amongst all the mayhem, you’re about to release your second album Mammoth II. Is this a continuation on from the first album, or are you looking to elevate the game?
If there was anything I wanted to avoid, it was that sophomore slump you know. I think when you have a new band, and you have your whole life ahead of you to record your first album, you only have such a small amount of time to record your second. But luckily, I think at least personally, I think we pulled it off. I think it's an even better album. But it also is, it's sort of a sequel like an evolution to everything established with the first. I think it goes into darker places and heavier places while still maintaining the melody and stuff that people might be familiar with. So I'm really excited for people to get the new album.
Listening to the new album, to me, it's a very diverse album musically and vocally, but this isn’t your first rodeo. You’ve been playing music live since you were 14.
Yeah, longer than half my life
But even still, despite your exposure to the industry, to get a support slot for Metallica, that had to blow you out.
Oh, it's ridiculous. I didn't believe it when my manager told me. I couldn't believe it. Everybody on the crew and the band, they are all so wonderful and so kind and so supportive of us being there. It's like a dream. I could never have imagined anything like this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I04dvZMsH3M
What is it been like so far hanging out with Metallica?
It's been so cool. They're all so wonderful. James has come into our room a handful of times. My guitar player John is like the biggest Metallica fan. So he comes in, he tries to act cool, but you don't realise that he's just kind of staring at him, like shaking nervously like really bad. But yeah it's been such a wonderful time and they are such wonderful people. It's an honour to be a part of the tour, it is absolutely crazy.
I've looked at the places you're gonna play and my eyes were drawn to the Arlington shows. Not just because Metallica is going to broadcast them to the world, but also because it's gonna serve as a homecoming for Pantera. Pantera were such huge fans of Van Halen, of course. What's it like being on that lineup on an occasion such as that?
I'm very happy that the second album is a bit heavier, because we're going to need to step it up considering we're opening for Pantera and for Metallica. And yeah, if there was a Pantera show that I wanted to see it, it's going to be the show there in Texas. Because that's going to be the homecoming and it's going to be insane.
We've seen them a couple times throughout the festival run and they sound very, very great. I know people can have their own feelings about you know, the reunion, and the brothers not being here anymore. But I think regardless of people's feelings over it, at the very least it sounds incredible.
They all sound amazing and are doing wonderful justice to all the music. It’s going to be really exciting. I'm very, very, very excited to be a part of that tour.
And those guys, I remember Zakk Wylde talking about him and Dimebag drunk dialling your old man at three in the morning.
Yes he would, yes he would. Back when the studio had a voicemail box or whatever message box. Yeah, he would call all the time haha
Now as we said earlier, you grew up backstage. We’ve covered other second-generation rock stars, such as London Hudson (Slash’s son) from S8NT ELEKTRIC who you also toured with
So great!
And the Cavalera boys who told us a story about the time they got to meet Black Sabbath backstage. Obviously, with the Van Halen name, you've got your direct influences. But was there anyone else that you met growing up that had a massive impact on you musically or even just personally?
I mean, as recent as 2019. I went to a Tool show with my dad and being able to meet Adam and Justin, who was one of my biggest bass influences. He's one of my favourite bass players of all time. And Danny Carey being one of my biggest drum influences of all time, and Tool just being one of my favourite bands of all time.
That was one of the very, very few times that I was completely starstruck, and had to compose myself and had to remind myself to stay composed. Because that was nuts for me.
Tool’s a big thing for me, and I think you can actually really hear that on the song ‘Optimist’ on Mammoth II. Because it's in 7/4, an odd time signature, and it's very heavy and droney and very Tool. I think I let that influence bleed a lot into that song.
You're a seasoned musician, but that sounds like you're just trying to make it harder on yourself.
Hahaha. I guess that was the whole thing. I think coming into the second album with a bit more confidence after establishing what Mammoth was, I think I just kind of wanted to test it and bend it and see if it breaks and it didn’t. I just got a bit more difficult.
Yeah. Well, you've got three guitarists, including yourself. Usually it's the two or just the one guy. Other than Iron Maiden or Foo Fighters, I can't think of too many bands that have three guitarists. Why the three guitars?
Because I can't have four.
HA! Why not?
Because, you know, there are so many layers and I am very strict in my desire to never have to play any tracks. We play to a click track but I think there are too many bands out there now that kind of mimic stuff or have important things that should be played live kind of pumping through the speakers. And I think with the three of us, John, Frank and myself, we can really get everything done and all the layers done that are on the album live. That’s very important for me to kind of have that full sound for a live performance. Without compromising and playing tracks and stuff. I will never do that.
That's so cool, because there are bands out there, without naming names, they can't play without their laptop. That if they can't get the computer going, they can't play their “live” show.
Yeah, my rule is that if the computer stops working, you should be able to still deliver a show, you know? I can totally understand the desire like, it’s expensive, you can't have a 40 piece orchestra travel with you all the time. So it's like, you need your 808s for your metal drops, sure. But if you have the main guitar, if you have fake kick drums coming through. If you have somebody on the sideline, watching the singer, with a fader to make it seem like he's singing, but really, he's not. It would just probably take a lot less effort to actually just fucking sing. Just do it. That's why you're in this business, or I guess not, I really don't know.
The reason I play music is because I love playing music. It bums me out to see so many bands do that. You should be playing the main stuff. You shouldn't be pretending on stage.
Well you’ve played music live for so many years with Van Halen and Tremonti, but it’s always been other people's music. Now with tour supports lined up til next year with Metallica, what’s it like playing your own music to these massive crowds?
It’s way different and it's way way more fulfilling because it's something I'm building from scratch on my own from the bottom up. So any win you can get is such a huge bolster of confidence. I think being able to open for these crowds that wouldn't see you otherwise. It's a wonderful opportunity that if five of those people in any given crowd go, 'Hey, that's cool, I'm gonna get a shirt, or I'm gonna add their album on Spotify, or I'm gonna follow them on Twitter' or something, anything. That's a win. That's a wonderful thing. Because when you come back around, and that's five more people at your show. It's a fun sort of thing to do. It's a grind, absolutely, but this is my job. I'm working, and it's incredibly fulfilling. And I'm very lucky to be able to do what I do.
I suppose the next question is when does the Mammoth road show make it’s way to Australia?
That's my one thing I keep telling my manager. That’s the next thing. It’s a tough thing to get over there as a new band. So my hope is that we're able to get over there as soon as possible and do a Pan Pacific tour, to Australia, New Zealand, Japan.
I’m dying to get over there. I love Australia. I love the music scene over there. Some of my favourite bands are from Australia like Karnivool, or Cog. I love the scene over there and I so badly want to want to build an audience over there and start touring so badly. So badly.
Funny you say that because Karnivool and Cog just did a co-headlining show down the road.
I KNOW!!! It’s crazy. Cog, just reissued their last two albums on vinyl and I just snagged up the whole thing with all the variants. I just selfishly, I was like, which one do I get? Screw it, getting all of it. They had it in one simple, easy-to-click thing. I was just like fuck it, I'm getting this.
It’s great to hear you say that because as much as we look overseas, and see what we’re missing out on, we have so much going on here. Especially in the wake of covid when we couldn’t get international acts to Australia, our local scene really stepped up. Having said that we’d love to get you here to check it out yourself.
That would be incredible. I can't wait. That's my one mission. If there was one thing I want to get done on this album cycle, it's to at least get over to Australia and do a little Pan Pacific [tour] at some point throughout this.
Well when you do man, you are more than welcome to swing by Higher Ground Tattoos and Records, come hang out for as long as you like, and maybe throw a few Mammoth Vinyl in the racks.
I’d love to man. You can tatt all of us up. We’re all covered, so we would love to add a few while we’re there.
Wolf mate, thanks for your time man and I hope to see you soon.
Hope to see you in person soon man. Thank you so much, you take care.
Interview by Duane James @duanejames666
Mammoth II is out Friday via BMG - Pre-order/save here
Mammoth WVH – Mammoth II tracklisting
1. Right
2. Like A Pastime
3. Another Celebration At The End Of The World
4. Miles Above Me
5. Take A Bow
6. Optimist
7. I’m Alright
8. Erase Me
9. Waiting
10. Better Than You
