Wolfgang Van Halen’s Defining Feeling While Working on New Album

Wolfgang Van Halen’s “defining feeling” while working on Mammoth’s new album The End was confidence.

Back when the rocker shared his first single as Mammoth (then Mammoth WVH) “Distance,” it was inevitable that he’d draw comparisons to his legendary father. Eddie Van Halen had just died several weeks prior, so it was a very emotional — and vulnerable — time for Wolf.

Several months later, Mammoth released their self-titled debut, which featured Wolfgang tackle every instrument and sing on every song. Just over two years later came Mammoth II and last week came their third record The End. 

Somehow, a one-man band has managed to release more albums in a four-year span than most groups put out in a decade.

“It’s funny when people bring up that it’s a crazy pace. It doesn’t really feel that crazy because I feel like when you’re on the road, you’re almost mentally resting for the studio and when you’re in the studio, you’re mentally resting for the road,” Wolfgang told Loudwire in a Zoom interview.

“You’re able to recharge both of those batteries when you’re on the other side.”

Not only did the musician recharge his batteries for album No. 3 while touring in support of Mammoth II, but he discovered a new sense of confidence and indifference to what others think. The End is an amalgamation of hard rock sounds ranging from funk to grunge and big tempo changes.

“Going into this record, that was the big thing — just feeling more confident in the process, who I am and just not really caring about what other people have to say or think, just doing what feels right for me,” he said.

“I would say that was probably the defining feeling of this record, was just being more confident in the overall process.”

READ MORE: Wolfgang Van Halen Used Eddie’s ‘Frankenstein’ Guitar on New Song

Wolfgang admitted he surprised himself vocally this time around, as he experimented more with singing in his lower register and pushed himself to places he hadn’t previously gone. And there’s even a little nod to his dad in the song “I Really Wanna” where he plays the same tapping technique heard on Van Halen’s almighty solo “Eruption.”

“That’s a really good example of, I’m just gonna do what feels right, is fun and it doesn’t matter,” he asserted.

Check out the full interview below to hear more about the album, Wolfgang’s experience playing in the band that honored Ozzy Osbourne at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year, befriending his idol Maynard James Keenan and more.

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Wolfgang Van Halen’s ‘Defining Feeling’ on New Mammoth Album