Wolfgang Van Halen's Mammoth WVH released their second album, Mammoth II, on August 4th via BMG. Wolfgang recently spoke with Anne Erickson of Consequence about his new music, opening for Metallica, and more. An excerpt follows:

Mammoth WVH have been touring extensively this year. What do you love about performing live?

"There’s nothing like it. It’s such an important other half of the recording process of the music. It’s where you get that direct feedback, and it’s just such a fun thing. It certainly gives my life purpose. It’s an important part of my life, being able to share something as personal as my own music with a crowd of people who are enjoying it. It’s a really special, special thing. I don’t take it for granted. I’m very lucky to be able to do what I do."

What’s it been like having the honor of opening for Metallica on their world tour?

"It’s been absolutely crazy. They have been so wonderful and kind and supportive to us — everybody, the whole crew and the band themselves. Their stage alone is such a crazy thing — this big giant circle in the center of a stadium. It’s definitely an insane thing to be a part of. We’re very honored to be there."

Is there a challenge to performing in front of a stadium of fans there to see one of heavy metal’s most beloved bands?

"Yeah! Opening for any band of this size, you’re auditioning for people’s attention. But it’s a challenge that I really enjoy. It’s an honor to be in the position where nobody has really heard of us. It’s our opportunity to kind of be like, 'Hey, here’s what’s up with us.' And by the end, if one person buys the new album or something, that’s a job well done. It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to play for their audience, and they’ve been very wonderful to us at every show we’ve done."

After these shows with Alter Bridge and Metallica, you’ll be heading out on a headlining tour with support from Nita Strauss. What can fans look forward to on that tour, and what are your thoughts on Nita as a guitarist?

"Oh, she’s amazing. I think this is going to be such a great tour. I mean, considering that we had the dual cover at the end of last year in Guitar World, it seemed like it was already in the works to happen. So, I’m so excited. She’s so awesome. Her new album is great. I’m very excited to have her out, and I’m very excited for us to have our first true headline run. It’s gonna be really cool."

To read the complete interview, visit this location.

Tour dates:

November
4 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
5 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
7 - Columbus, OH - The Bluestone
9 - Chicago, IL - The Vic Theatre
11 - Grand Rapids, MI - Elevation at the Intersection
13 - Toronto, ON - The Danforth Music Hall
14 - Montreal, QC - Théâtre Beanfield
15 - Boston, MA - Big Night Live
17 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
18 - Philadelphia, PA - Keswick Theatre
19 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
21 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theater
22 - Lake Buena Vista, FL - House Of Blues
24 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live Ballroom
25 - Dallas, TX - The Factory in Deep Ellum
26 - Austin, TX - Emo’s
28 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre
29 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
30 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory

December
2 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory
3 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox
4 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
7 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
8 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
9 - Los Angeles, CA - The Belasco

Mammoth II tracklisting:

"Right?"
"Like A Pastime"
"Another Celebration At The End Of The World"
"Miles Above Me"
"Take A Bow"
"Optimist"
"I’m Alright"
"Erase Me"
"Waiting"
"Better Than You"

"I’m Alright" video:

"Take A Bow" lyric video:

“Like A Pastime” lyric video:

"Another Celebration At The End Of The World" video:

(Photo - Travis Shinn)