Wolfgang Van Halen‘s solo band, MAMMOTH WVH, will release its self-titled debut album on June 11 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.
A pre-order for “Mammoth WVH” is available in various configurations, including exclusive color vinyl as well as limited autographed copies, via the band’s online store. Fans that pre-order the album digitally will receive instant downloads of the single “Distance” and “The Howard Stern Show”-premiered track “You’re To Blame”. Both songs will be available via all global digital streaming partners as well.
Writing all of the songs and performing all of the instrumentation and vocals for the debut album, Wolfgang Van Halen set out to establish his own musical identity. From the rocking opening guitar riff on album opener “Mr. Ed” to the driving bass and drums on album closer “Stone”, “Mammoth WVH” showcases the various musical influences that have inspired Wolfgang. Songs like “Resolve”, “The Big Picture” and “Think It Over” are all sonically different from each other but unique to what MAMMOTH WVH is. The current single “Distance” — written as a tribute to Wolfgang‘s father and guitar icon Eddie Van Halen — is another side of “Mammoth WVH” and is currently No. 3 at Active Rock Radio. The emotional video has been viewed four million times on YouTube. The song was not originally intended to be on the debut album, but due to the overwhelming response, it has been added as a bonus track. All of Wolfgang‘s proceeds from “Distance” are being donated to Mr. Holland’s Opus.
“Mammoth WVH” track listing:
01. Mr. Ed
02. Horribly Right
03. Epiphany
04. Don’t Back Down
05. Resolve
06. You’ll Be The One
07. Mammoth
08. Circles
09. The Big Picture
10. Think It Over
11. You’re To Blame
12. Feel
13. Stone
14. Distance (bonus track)
To coincide with the album announcement, MAMMOTH WVH will make its performance television debut for late night on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” this evening and on NBC News‘ “Today” on the morning of February 19. The band comprised of Wolfgang Van Halen (guitars/vocals), Ronnie Ficarro (bass/vocals), Jon Jourdan (guitars/vocals), Frank Sidoris (guitars) and Garret Whitlock (drums) will perform “Distance” on each show. The band will debut the song this evening on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and then play an exclusive acoustic arrangement of the track in the 8:00 a.m. EST hour of “Today” on February 19.
MAMMOTH WVH has also partnered with Twitter to commemorate the launch of the debut album. The social media platform has created a hashtag emoji from the band’s logo. Anyone who tweets using the hashtags #MammothWVH, #WolfgangVanHalen, #WolfVanHalen and #WVH will see the band’s oval logo pop up next to the tag. This integration is schedule to run through the end of March.
“Distance” is an open letter to Wolfgang‘s father, declaring “no matter what the distance is, I will be with you.” The video for the song is created from a collection of family home movies through the years and offers an inside look in to one of music’s most notable personalities. Chronicling the family through the years, the video ends with a touching voicemail left from Eddie to his son.
Last November, Wolfgang confirmed that he asked his father for permission to use the MAMMOTH WVH band name for his solo project. MAMMOTH WVH is a nod to family history — Eddie and Alex Van Halen‘s band was called MAMMOTH when singer David Lee Roth first joined it in 1974.
