“We can finally be what I’ve always wanted to be”: Wolfgang Van Halen on why Mammoth has officially dropped the ‘WVH’ from its name
Last month, eagle-eyed fans clocked something different when Mammoth’s latest single, The End, dropped with a noticeably shorter name. Gone were the initials WVH, leaving the group officially known as simply Mammoth.
As frontman Wolfgang Van Halen now confirms, that’s how he always wanted it – and the only thing standing in the way until now was a trademark issue.
READ MORE: “I’m really just not interested in playing it anymore without dad”: Wolfgang reveals why he doesn’t listen to Van Halen anymore
“It’s what I’ve always wanted it to be,” the guitarist tells KOMP 92.3 [via Blabbermouth]. “It’s just we didn’t have the trademark. And so now that we do, we can finally be what I’ve always wanted to be.”
While the original Mammoth WVH moniker served its purpose, Wolfgang admits he was never a fan of the clunky title: “It’s a mouthful. You don’t need it,” he says.
“I mean, I always say ‘Mammoth’ at the shows anyway. Now it’s just official.”
For the uninitiated, Mammoth isn’t just a cool band name. It’s a direct nod to Wolfgang’s legendary dad, Eddie Van Halen, who played – alongside his brother Alex – in a short-lived band called Mammoth before changing their name to Van Halen.
Wolfgang previously revealed that he asked for his dad’s blessing to revive the name when he was just 15 and Eddie, ever supportive, gave it wholeheartedly.
The latest name change also underscores Wolfgang’s ongoing balancing act: embracing his musical legacy while forging his own creative path.
“Man, is it a fucking tight rope to walk,” said Wolfgang in a previous interview where he reflected on the weight of the Van Halen name. “With the shadow I’m under and the expectations… It’s, like, I wanna be able to have the opportunity to reference my lineage, but not copy it and just put a flag in it and sit there and play Panama for everybody every night. I wanna be able to be my own person.”
In related news, Wolfgang Van Halen recently confirmed that he will be pulling out of Black Sabbath’s farewell show next week due to scheduling conflicts.
“I, unfortunately, had to back out because the Creed tour starts the day after, and I wouldn’t be able to pull it off – unfortunately,” he said. “I’m very excited to watch it, but I unfortunately had to back out.”
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