WOLFGANG VAN HALEN Reveals He Was Set To Retire From VAN HALEN To Make Way For Return Of MICHAEL ANTHONY
November 17, 2020, 3 years ago
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Wolfgang Van Halen talks about how his late father, Eddie Van Halen, had discussed a "kitchen-sink tour" that would have featured singers David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar (and maybe even Gary Cherone), as well as former Van Halen bassist, Michael Anthony. An excerpt follows:
Rolling Stone: You told Howard Stern that you and your dad discussed a “kitchen-sink tour” with Dave trading vocals with Sammy Hagar and maybe even Gary Cherone. Do you think you could have gotten Dave to do that? I know Sammy would have been down for it, but I just don’t know about Dave.
Wolfgang Van Halen: "I would have loved to see it happen. Unfortunately, we’ll never know the answer to that. I think at a certain point you would have just had to get everybody in a room and just be like, 'Come on, how awesome would this be?'"
Rolling Stone: "You talked about Michael Anthony being part of that tour, too. That means you you were personally ready to sort of retire from that band a while ago.
Wolfgang Van Halen: "Pretty much, other than maybe jumping on stage for a song or two, because Dad would be like, 'You got to be on stage at least a couple times.' He kept trying to pull me back in. Not that I didn’t want to be there. Playing with my father was the best thing I ever did. It was my favorite thing to do."
Read the complete interview at Rolling Stone.
Wolfgang Van Halen has topped the iTunes chart with the new Mammoth WVH single, "Distance".
Says Wolfgang in an Instagram post: "#1 on @iTunes. Not just rock, but overall. I’m speechless. The response to 'Distance' has been mind-blowing and I’m so thankful for each and every one of you. Know that the weight of this moment is not lost on me. Thank you. Wish you were here for this, Pop."
Everybody has a name they are born with. Having one of the most recognizable names in entertainment, Wolfgang Van Halen has been preparing to release music from his solo band Mammoth WVH for some time. That plan was altered when his father and guitar icon Eddie Van Halen called him and told him his cancer had returned. Wolfgang decided to put everything on hold to be with his father through his battle. During that time, Wolfgang was writing material for his upcoming solo album (available via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records in 2021) for which the first single “Distance” would be born. The song is available via all digital service providers here. An official music video can be found below.
“As my pop continued to struggle with various health issues, I was imagining what my life would be like without him and how terribly I’d miss him. While the song is incredibly personal, I think anyone can relate to the idea of having a profound loss in their life,” explains Wolfgang Van Halen.
Writing the song and performing all of the instrumentation and vocals for Mammoth WVH, “Distance” is an open letter to his father - one Wolfgang was fortunate to play for his dad and would become a favorite of Eddie’s - declaring “no matter what the distance is, I will be with you.”
The video for the song is created from a collection of family home movies through the years and offers an inside look in to one of music’s most notable personalities. Chronicling the family through the years, the video ends with a touching voicemail left from Eddie to his son.
“I never intended ‘Distance’ to be the very first piece of music people would hear from me, but I also thought my father would be here to celebrate its release. This is for him. I love and miss you, Pop.”
