ROAD-TESTING HIS NEW PROTOT YPE GUITAR, HAVING FUN WITH SE VENAND EIGHT-STRINGS, ROCKING WITH METALLICA AND SHARING SONGS WITH DAVE GROHL…
In what ways did you push yourself while making your second album under the Mammoth WVH name?
Literally my only rule was: No sophomore slump. MammothIIneeded to be as good or better than Mammoth WVH. It was difficult to write and figure out ways to expand upon the sound. With everything I had dealt with in the past five years and with Mammoth’s successes, everything was so wonderful and terrible in every way at all times. I guess it all poured into it, and that’s what made the album a bit heavier and more aggressive.
What’s your favourite solo on the album?
I’m quite proud of TakeABow. That was an evolution in my solo writing, performing and playing. So it felt like a cool moment to mark by using Dad’s guitar and having him involved to a certain extent. I think it’s a very special song on the album.
You said you’d originally planned on using adifferent guitar of his for each solo…
Iwas going to do that, and then I ended up saving that for the Frankenstein. For literally everything else, I used my prototype. It was crazy how much that guitar was the backbone of the album. It’s a very versatile instrument and I’m very excited to talk about it more next year once it’s out.
Can you reveal anything about how the SA-126 is progressing, or any tweaks that have been made as aresult of road testing it this year?
It’s been a fascinating journey, putting the guitar together with Matt Bruck and Chip Ellis at EVH. It’s been really fun to be the one crash testing it live, while they fine tune everything to just make it better and better. I can’t spoil much, but it’s going to be wonderful and I’m so excited for people to get the guitar in their hands.
It’s been along tease, but your father also liked to put his signature models through their paces very thoroughly before releasing them, didn’t he?
That’s exactly what he did with the Wolfgang on the 2007-2008 Van Halen tour. He played it for two years. So, it’s that same rule. We’re following the exact same way that my dad tested products for the brand and EVH Gear. That’s what we want to continue doing. It’s only gotten better and more refined as we’re peeling back the skin every couple of months and making it tighter and better.
Besides things that bear the family name, what’s been your best gear acquisition of 2023?
I’ve literally only been playing the SA for the last two years! Aaron Marshall from Intervals did a deal with Schecter and I bought hi
