MARK TREMONTI On MAMMOTH WVH’s Debut Album: ‘It Put A Big Smile On My Face When I Heard It’

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ALTER BRIDGE guitarist and TREMONTI frontman Mark Tremonti has praised the debut album from MAMMOTH WVH, the solo band of former VAN HALEN bassist Wolfgang Van Halen. Wolfgang played bass on TREMONTI's "Cauterize" and "Dust" albums and was part of TREMONTI's touring band in 2013. Speaking about the overwhelmingly positive response to "Mammoth WVH", Mark said: "I couldn't be happier for [Wolfgang]. The record's awesome, and it put a big smile on my face when I heard it. I see how people are reacting to it. It's just great. "Wolfgang is the nicest guy in the world, and he's had to deal with his last name, positive or negative," he continued. "And the positive because it's one of the greatest bands ever, but negative in a way where it's, like, how can you not think of your father when you hear that name? So it's been a big step for him to get out there and to do it on his own. He's done it in such a good way that people are responding to it. I've not seen anything negative about it. And I've seen everybody fully get behind it. I wanted to see what he'd be like as a frontman, 'cause he's aways been, with us, kind of more of a quiet guy on stage rocking out, but never up on the mic singing [lead]. That's one of the toughest things — when we get back on the road, is getting that frontman jargon down, when you're talking and you're communicating with the crowd. That's not something you can practice at home, and that's something that he seemed like he stepped right into perfectly well, from the footage that I've seen." MAMMOTH WVH's tour as the support act for GUNS N' ROSES is scheduled to conclude in early October with a two-night run at the Hard Rock Live Arena in Hollywood, Florida. MAMMOTH WVH's touring lineup features Wolfgang on guitar and lead vocals, Frank Sidoris (SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS) on guitar, Jon Jourdan on guitar and vocals, Garrett Whitlock (TREMONTI) on drums, and Ronnie Ficarro on bass. MAMMOTH WVH's self-titled debut album was released on June 11 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records. TREMONTI's fifth album, "Marching In Time", will be released on September 24 via Napalm Records.