And The Cradle Will Rock

His father was one of the greatest guitarists who ever lived, and now Wolfgang Van Halen is carrying that famous name forward. In a revealing interview, he discusses the creation of his new album, MammothWVH,, on which he played all the instruments, including Eddie’s iconic Frankenstein. He recalls what he learned as a boy from the best player on the planet — and the fun they had performing together in Van Halen

- By Jonny Scaramanga

THE BUZZ FOR WOLFGANG

Van Halen’s solo debut began in 2015 when Eddie Van Halen told Guitar World, “It’s like AC/DC meets Van Halen meets aggressive pop... It’s so powerful that I’m jealous.” The project had to wait, as Wolf fulfilled his commitments as bassist in Van Halen and Tremonti, as well as drummer for Sevendust’s Clint Lowery.

But following the devastating loss of Eddie on October 6, 2020, Wolf released the tribute single “Distance.” A moving video featuring childhood footage of Wolfgang with Eddie quickly racked up 4 million views, and the song debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard Rock chart.

With the album completed, Wolf has told Twitter, “It’s important I forge my own path,” but that doesn’t mean distancing himself from his father. His band name and album title, Mammoth WVH, is a nod to Van Halen’s original moniker, and album opener “Mr. Ed” features a tapping lick to make any EVH fan grin. But on the preview singles, Wolf shows his own identity, whether it’s the bruising slow groove of “You’re to Blame” or the stomping shuffle on “Don’t Back Down.”

Speaking to us from his home in California, Wolf explains how he put the album together and reflects on how his father’s influence has shaped him as a musician.

How do you feel about all the reaction there’s been to Mammoth WVH so far?