“I’m really just not interested in playing it anymore without dad”: Wolfgang reveals why he doesn’t listen to Van Halen anymore
Wolfgang Van Halen has opened up about why he no longer listens to the band that cemented his family’s name in rock history.
In a new interview with Drumeo, the Mammoth frontman reflects on how deeply Van Halen’s music is tied to his late father, Eddie Van Halen. Since Eddie’s passing in 2020, he says, the songs have lost their joy.
When asked about the musical status of his uncle, drummer Alex Van Halen, Wolfgang suggests that Alex probably feels the same way.
READ MORE: Wolfgang Van Halen says having a famous surname and father is “a f**ing tightrope to walk, with the shadow I’m under and the expectations”
“It’s kind of the same thing with me and with Van Halen stuff. I’m really just not interested in playing it anymore without dad,” he says. “And I know he feels the exact same way.”
“I’ll play it for fun every now and then. If Dave Grohl comes to me and goes like, ‘Hey, you wanna do this?’ Like, ‘Yes, Dave Grohl, I would like to do that with you.’ But, overall, it’s really a tough thing for me.”
Even listening to the band’s music, Wolfgang admits, is difficult: “I just don’t listen to Van Halen anymore. I understand, like, that’s the connection that everybody has. But, obviously, my connection was a little different.”
The musician toured and played bass alongside his father and uncle during Van Halen’s final years. But since Eddie’s death, both Wolfgang and Alex have kept a somewhat low profile when it comes to the band’s legacy. While there’s been talk of tribute concerts and reissues, nothing has materialised.
“So, when it comes to listening to it, it’s just like, I have the memories,” says Wolfgang. “I’m so happy of the time that I was able to be that three-piece with dad and Al. But I totally get why Al is… Al was already a private guy to begin with. Now, it’s like, why would you want to play? I’m sure he probably keeps the chops up every now and then.”
“But yeah, it’s just not as fun, unfortunately.”
That said, there have been whispers of a posthumous Van Halen project in the works. Earlier this year, Alex Van Halen teased a new album with Toto guitarist Steve Lukather reportedly involved.
As quoted in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf [via Guitar World], Alex said: “Ed and Steve Lukather were very good friends and they often worked together. There is no one who can do this process with me as well as he can.”
The post “I’m really just not interested in playing it anymore without dad”: Wolfgang reveals why he doesn’t listen to Van Halen anymore appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
