WOLFGANG VAN HALEN On Performing VAN HALEN Classics At TAYLOR HAWKINS Tribute Shows - "Preparing For Those Shows Was Really Tough, Because It Forced Me To Go Back And Look Through Those Songs"
December 27, 2022, a year ago
Wolfgang Van Halen (Mammoth WVH) is featured in a new interview with Classic Rock discussing his performances at the Taylor Hawkins tribute shows. An excerpt from the chat is available below.
Classic Rock: You appeared at the Californian leg of the Taylor Hawkins tribute show, almost a month after its counterpart at Wembley Stadium. What was it like being a part of such a star-studded event?
Wolfgang: "Man, it was an honour to participate in either, let alone both of those shows. Taylor was one of my biggest inspirations when it comes to drumming – the drums are my first instrument."
Classic Rock: Your performance at both shows was greeted with a lot of praise. You made those famous solos played by your father look relatively easy. Guitar World said you played them with "eerie accuracy."
Wolfgang: "Hearing those things are a huge compliment. Some people took it really far and said that I didn’t actually do it at all."
Classic Rock: Yeah, there were some crazy reports that you were miming.
Wolfgang: "(Laughing) The most obvious response is to consider that an insult, but I take it as even more of a compliment. You line up the solos, and there are times when I’m not even playing what’s on the (original Van Halen) record. Preparing for those shows was really tough, because it forced me to go back and look through those songs. I still wasn’t completely comfortable in doing that, emotionally speaking, so it took a lot."
Read the complete interview here.
