Son of Eddie Van Halen launched his own musical project, Mammoth WVH, after the end of the band that bears his surname
Many fans only see the privileges — which are many, it’s true — that children of famous artists have for being born into such families. However, like everything in life, there is also a negative side. It’s something that Wolfgang Van Halen frequently highlights in his interviews.
In a statement to the magazine Classic Rock, the son of the legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen reflected on the weight of carrying such a heavy surname in the history of music. In addition to his late father — who passed away in 2020 — being one of the revolutionaries of his instrument, the band formed alongside his uncle Wolfgang, the also iconic drummer Alex Van Halen, is one of the most popular hard rock songs of all time.
The 32-year-old musician chose to pursue a career in music, like his father and uncle. He became part of the Van Halen 2006 to the end of the band, caused by the death of Eddie. Recently, he launched a solo project, the Mammoth WVH, where he takes on vocals and all instruments when recording albums — live, obviously, with the help of other partners.
Even with all efforts to establish a path of our own, there are some obstacles in the way. The main thing, according to the young man, is the following understanding:
“I’m not a human being to some people. For them, I’m just an extension of their last name. I don’t mind people being rude and expressing hate on the internet. What gets me upset is when there’s this kind of stupidity where they say, ‘oh, you’re exploiting the name Van Halen‘. Imbecility bothers me more than evil.”
At another point in the conversation, Wolfgang highlighted the “difficult” experience of having to join the Van Halen at just 16 years old. At the time, Eddie he placed his son’s presence as a condition for remaining active. The then teenager not only joined a giant rock band, but also filled the spot of an original member: Michael Anthony, who was in conflict with his brothers at that time.
“I was there to support my father, but I knew I would become the greatest enemy of every forty- to fifty-year-old man in the world. It was something I didn’t know how to deal with. It caused me a lot of damage.”
Van Halen tribute
Wolfgang Van Halen hopes to honor the legacy built by his father and uncle, but not in the way many fans expect. The multi-instrumentalist does not intend, for example, to lead a kind of tribute band or even an event in honor — there have been attempts to reunite former members in recent times, but the young man himself has said a few times that the ego and the dysfunctionality of the relationship between them prevents any initiative.
It was up to the son, alone and on another occasion, to remember his father on a special occasion. Wolfgang participated in tribute shows to Taylor Hawkinsdrummer of Foo Fighters passed away in 2022, playing songs from Van Halen. In this case, the exception was worth it, as he does not play songs from the iconic group in his solo career.
“For me, it was a tribute to Taylor, but it was also a tribute to his father. It was my way of ending the mess that is the social hierarchy of Van Halen and the fact that a tribute show will never happen. It turns out people are like, ‘You need to pay homage, man.’ But I’m already a tribute. Everything I do is because of my dad, and I think that’s tribute enough.”
Mammoth IIsecond studio album by Mammoth WVH, was released last August. The song’s music video “I’m Alright”one of the singles from the work, is available below.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
