Wolfgang Van Halen has explained why he’s dropped the ‘WVH’ tag from his newly rebranded band Mammoth, after he stealth-launched the moniker change with their latest single, The End.
After processing the star-studded, zombie-plagued, and Hot For Teacher-referencing music video that launched the track, fans were curious to note Wolfgang’s initials had been removed from the band name, which changed from Mammoth WVH to Mammoth.
It’s a subtle change, but one that Wolfgang says reflects his initial vision for the group.
“It’s what I’ve always wanted it to be. It’s just that we didn’t have the trademark,” he explains to KOMP 92.3. “And so now that we do, we can finally be what I’ve always wanted to be. I mean, I always say 'Mammoth' at the shows anyway. Now it’s just official.”
As Mammoth WVH, the band has released two albums. Notably, on the covers for both those releases, Mammoth I and Mammoth II, there was no sign of his initials anywhere.
Though he admits his initials made the name “a mouthful” from a marketing standpoint, there was certainly some logic in it. When your dad was one of the greatest guitarists to ever walk this earth it doesn’t hurt to lean into the family name.
But Wolfgang has always stated that he wants to do things on his terms and be remembered as the guy from Mammoth, not the guy whose dad is Eddie Van Halen.
“I think people are sitting there waiting for me to outdo my dad in some way, but that’s impossible,” he said last year. “I’m not him. I’m doing my own thing.”
While there is an element of musical and reputational separation, Wolfgang is still keeping his late father close in other ways: He tracked The End’s slapping parts on his famed Frankenstein Strat.
He’s also taken one lesson from his dad about soloing to heart, and even walked down the aisle to a song EVH had written about him.
In related news, he guitarist recently become the first star to pull out of Black Sabbath’s final show due to scheduling conflicts, as Mammoth set out on tour in the US with Creed.
