Wolfgang Van Halen literally learned Tremonti‘s setlist during a single night of cramming before hitting the road with the band. Back in July 2012 Wolfgang jumped in cold to replace then-bassist Brian Marshall and stayed on to play bass on the band’s 2015 album Cauterize and its 2016 follow-up, Dust.
While chatting with Classic Rock magazine, Wolfgang recalled getting the call to join Tremonti: “I happened to have been in New Jersey with my friends in Sevendust, where they were recording (2013’s) Black Out The Sun, I was just hanging out with them, and I happened to have some of my bass equipment with me because we were just jamming and stuff. And it was late one night that I got a call from Mark Tremonti. He was like: ‘Hey, man, I heard you were in town. We need a bass player. Do you think you could come by?’ And sure enough, I loaded my stuff in a pick-up, and got there 45 minutes later in New York, and I learned the whole set, and we started touring the next day!”
After a hectic year releasing Mammoth WVH‘s debut set, a spate of band dates — not to mention a major opening spot opening for Guns N’ Roses throughout the summer, Wolfgang is cooling his heels. When asked about a typical day off, he said, “Just being lazy on the couch with my girlfriend, watching TV shows or playing videogames and going to bed early. I’m a big nerd; I’m always playing videogames
if I’m not making music. On the last tour, (guitarist) Frank (Sidoris), and I would bring our systems around, hotel to hotel room, so we could play.”
As far what he’s looking forward to: “(Taking) Mammoth to the next level. I’ve been working on it for so long, but in a way it’s only just beginning. So I’m really excited to just pour all my creative energy and time into Mammoth and see what I can do with it.”
- Mammoth WVH / Dirty Honey 2022 North American tour dates (subject to change):
January 18 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
January 20 – Fort Wayne, IN – Piere’s
January 21 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
January 22 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
January 24 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone
January 25 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
January 26 – Toronto, OH – The Danforth Music Hall
January 28 – Portland, ME – State Theatre
January 29 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live
January 30 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
February 1 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
February 2 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
February 4 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live
February 5 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
February 6 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore
February 8 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
February 9 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
February 11 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Orlando
February 12 – Dothan, AL – The Plant
February 15 – San Antonio, TX – The Aztec Theatre
February 16 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
February 18 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
February 20 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
February 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
February 22 – Boise, ID – Revolution
February 24 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
February 25 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
February 27 – Reno, NV – Grand Sierra Resort and Casino
March 1 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
March 2 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
March 4 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
March 5 – Indio, CA – Fantasy Casino
May 18, 19 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome To Rockville 2022 at Daytona International Speedway (Mammoth WVH only – festival date)
CHECK IT OUT: Tremonti with Wolfgang Van Halen on bass on October 7th, 2012 performing “Gone” live in San Antonio: