“I know we’d be screaming together in the stands watching him on stage”: Eddie Van Halen’s ex-wife says he’d be “so proud” of his son Wolfgang in touching tribute
Even five years after his passing, Eddie Van Halen’s influence is still felt across the music world, but for those nearest and dearest to him, the anniversary of his death is a moment to reflect on everything that’s happened in the years since.
In a touching Instagram post, the guitarist’s ex-wife Valerie Bertinelli reflects on the sad anniversary, the bond they shared over their son, Wolfgang, and the pride Eddie would have felt watching him carve out his own path in music since his dad’s passing.
READ MORE: “For someone to do it better than him, they’re gonna have to reinvent the guitar all over again”: Kirk Hammett thinks no guitarist will ever eclipse Eddie Van Halen
Sharing a portrait of a young Edward and herself, Bertinelli writes: “Some days I really do miss you. There will always be a loud absence in these gratifying sideline years. Who do I yap to when there was really only one person I could talk to about Wolfie the way that we did? The pride we both felt. Still feel. I’m grateful for where we landed. Through the ups and the downs to still alight where we did is a blessing.”
She continues: “You’d be so proud of Wolf. I know we’d be screaming together in the stands watching him on stage. Seeing who could whistle the loudest. I will never not miss being able to experience that with you.”
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A post shared by Valerie Bertinelli (@wolfiesmom)
Eddie Van Halen passed away on 6 October 2020 at the age of 65 after a long battle with throat cancer. Wolfgang, who played in Van Halen as a teenager and now leads his own band Mammoth, has admitted that dealing with his father’s death does not get “any easier”.
“I believe Zelda Williams, Robin [Williams]’ daughter, said it the best way that I could ever imagine, which is, even a truckload full of roses still weigh a ton,” Wolfgang told Billy Corgan on The Magnificent Others podcast. “There’s so much that I can’t share with him.”
The musician also unpacked why he chooses not to play any Van Halen material on the regular even though he could “probably make a decent living at it”.
“It’s very hollow and astoundingly creatively unfulfilling,” Wolfgang said. “I feel like it’s kind of selling out, and I could never do that, that’s not satisfying to me. I would rather bomb on my own than succeed with what my dad laid before me.”
Speaking of legacies, Eddie Van Halen’s legendary custom-built 1982 Kramer electric will head to auction for the very first time at Sotheby’s this October, where it’s expected to fetch between $2 million and $3 million.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
