Wolfgang Van Halen has released two new songs, “Don’t Back Down” and “Think It Over”, from his solo band, MAMMOTH WVH. Both tracks will appear on MAMMOTH WVH‘s self-titled debut album, due on June 11 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.
MAMMOTH WVH‘s first single, “Distance”, recently reached No. 1 on the MediaBase and BDS Active Rock Radio charts. The song is a tribute to Wolfgang‘s father, legendary VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen. The track was not originally intended to be on MAMMOTH WVH‘s debut album, but due to the overwhelming response to its accompanying video, which has been viewed over four million times on YouTube, it has been added as a bonus track. All of Wolfgang‘s proceeds from “Distance” are being donated to Mr. Holland’s Opus.
“The response to ‘Distance’ has been incredibly overwhelming,” Wolfgang said. “The immense support from everyone at radio who played the song and all of the fans who called requesting it has been more than I could have imagined. Thank you to everyone who helped me get my first No. 1 song. I wish Pop was here to see it.”
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)
“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.
Photo by Travis Shinn
