New Wolfgang Van Halen Interview!

**James in New York** · 12.01.20, 01:00 PM

Wolfgang Van Halen talks his new single 'Distance,' working with Elvis Baskette on his new album, potential release date, sound of album, best advice his dad ever gave him, and much more!

**CaboChris** · 12.01.20, 01:08 PM

We know. "If you make a mistake, do it twice".

That will be the new "I started on drums..."

**James in New York** · 12.01.20, 01:16 PM

And don't forget to smile!

**noise next door** · 12.01.20, 01:20 PM

He talks here at depth about the “M-pill” logo he developed with Patrick Bertinelli... do the 2 combined “m” letters represent the brown MM rider joke?...or maybe the 3 humps the 3 Van Halens??

**DFVH5150** · 12.01.20, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by noise next door

He talks here at depth about the “M-pill” logo he developed with Patrick Bertinelli... do the 2 combined “m” letters represent the brown MM rider joke?...or maybe the 3 humps the 3 Van Halens??

MnM's...good catch. Possibly a little nod.

**Metalsludge** · 12.01.20, 06:12 PM

So one second it’s “Dad would be pissed if I didn’t do my own thing” and the next he’s calling his band the same as his dad’s old band and basing logos on the old M+M rider story?

**DFVH5150** · 12.01.20, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Metalsludge

So one second it’s “Dad would be pissed if I didn’t do my own thing” and the next he’s calling his band the same as his dad’s old band and basing logos on the old M+M rider story?

They're just nods.

**Jedi McFly** · 12.02.20, 12:54 AM

Originally Posted by Metalsludge

So one second it’s “Dad would be pissed if I didn’t do my own thing” and the next he’s calling his band the same as his dad’s old band and basing logos on the old M+M rider story?

The M&M thing is somebody speculating here. Wolfgang didn’t say that.

It’s clearly just a combination of the two Ms in the middle of “Mammoth”

**MF5150** · 12.02.20, 01:55 AM

Originally Posted by Metalsludge

So one second it’s “Dad would be pissed if I didn’t do my own thing” and the next he’s calling his band the same as his dad’s old band and basing logos on the old M+M rider story?

And I thought I was a shit disturber, for fucks sakes.

Do you know how many people out there know that Van Halen was once called Mammoth? Not many. And about half of those that do probably aren't going to give a shit because they don't care about Wolf's music because it doesn't involve Ed or Al.

If he called the band Broken Combs, would there be a problem?

And what's this about the M&M story and the logo? I know the Brown M&M story and I don't even fucking know what you're talking about.

Fuck out of here with this shit.

**Heisenberg** · 12.02.20, 01:37 PM

M&M's...

No- Nothing to do with M&M's.

Initially- due to trademarks since there was already another musical band with the name Mammoth also from Los Angeles.

Wolf managed to attain the Mammoth trademark & the other band changed their name to Thrailking, ( the main guy's last name).

Here's the link. You can see they had quite a few albums out with the name Mammoth at the bottom of the page.

https://mammothprog.bandcamp.com/

https://mammothprog.bandcamp.com/alb...16-compilation

I personally always thought Wolfgang was a dynamite name in itself. Even just Wolf would work well. But he likes Mammoth.

**T.B.** · 12.02.20, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Heisenberg

(snip)

I personally always thought Wolfgang was a dynamite name in itself. Even just Wolf would work well. But he likes Mammoth.

There's tons of bands out there historically and right now with some variation of "Wolf" in their name - Howlin' Wolf, Steppenwolf, White Wolf, Wolfmother, Wolf Alice, etc. It's probably the most overused animal used in rock band names. I think there's even at least a half dozen bands with some variation of Wolfgang. I think "Mammoth" isn't much better regardless of whatever reasons Wolfgang chose to go with that moniker, but it's his gig, not mine. I mean, I thought Def Leppard was about the stupidest band name in history when I first heard of them but they did alright.

**Jedi McFly** · 12.02.20, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Heisenberg

M&M's...

No- Nothing to do with M&M's.

Initially- due to trademarks since there was already another musical band with the name Mammoth also from Los Angeles.

Wolf managed to attain the Mammoth trademark & the other band changed their name to Thrailking, ( the main guy's last name).

Here's the link. You can see they had quite a few albums out with the name Mammoth at the bottom of the page.

https://mammothprog.bandcamp.com/

https://mammothprog.bandcamp.com/alb...16-compilation

I personally always thought Wolfgang was a dynamite name in itself. Even just Wolf would work well. But he likes Mammoth.

Huh. I figured it was "Mammoth WVH" because he couldn't secure the rights to "Mammoth" itself.

Funny enough I had a tune from the Mammoth you linked already in my Apple Music library. Still says Mammoth there though, hasn't changed to the new name.

**DFVH5150** · 12.02.20, 06:47 PM

Yeah kinda figured there was another band out there with that name, too.

**Heisenberg** · 12.02.20, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by Jedi McFly

Huh. I figured it was "Mammoth WVH" because he couldn't secure the rights to "Mammoth" itself.

Funny enough I had a tune from the Mammoth you linked already in my Apple Music library. Still says Mammoth there though, hasn't changed to the new name.

No- Wolf secured tradmarks for both.

There was also another band with the Mammoth name as well which was confusing for the bands but Wolfgang now has the trademarks for both. ( Even if he doesn't use it without the " WVH", it will stop anyone else from using the name & avoid any possible confusion in the future)

You can see the trademarks at this link...

https://trademarks.justia.com/owners...s-llc-4132339/

Thrailkill coincidentally used to play a few VH covers when they started out and are pleased with the name change. Been almost 3 years now already.

I think some of the artwork on the albums look sensational. I'm going to give them a listen.

**Heisenberg** · 12.02.20, 07:30 PM

It just occured to me there's a funny sense of irony...

Back then- VH had to change their name from Mammoth to VH because another band had the Mammoth name...so changed to the guitarist & drummer's surname....

Now- Another Mammoth also changed their band name to the guitarist's surname.. Thrailkill....

It's the same thing in the opposite way.

Unless it was just a sheer coincidence. Could be they wanted to change their name anyways & had nothing to do with Wolf. I just remember a few years ago hearing that Wolf wanted to use the Mammoth name & had to deal with another band with the name. It could've been the other Mammoth. IDK.