Guesting on the WTF With Marc Maron Podcast, Wolfgang Van Halen looked back on becoming a member of Van Halen in 2006, replacing Michael Anthony. He says he tried to avoid the engative backlash from some fans "because it was only in really dedicated spaces back in the day, like message boards, stuff like that. I was just having a good time enjoying my newly sober dad, and jamming with my family and having a wonderful time. And it was just this wonderful, happy, joyous thing... until it went public, and then it was, like, 'Yeah, I can see why people would want to hate me.'"
"I was just there to make sure my dad stayed on the sober path that he was on. And me being there for him and keeping the train moving was my full intent."
Earlier this year, Premier Guitar shared the video below, along with the following introduction...
Being born into rock royalty doesn’t make you a rock star - you’ve gotta earn it with your own chops. And whether it’s the classical pedigree of his first name or the hard-rock infamy of his surname, Wolfgang Van Halen has a long lineage to live up to. As he displays on this episode of Shred With Shifty, he’s more than up to the task.
Wolf joins Shifty to teach the blistering, tap-heavy solo for his song “Take A Bow,” from 2023’s Mammoth II. It follows in his dad’s footsteps, sure, but it also shows Wolf has a voice and vision of his own - both of which are just as potent and theatrical as his father’s.
Wolf treats us to a tour of his new signature semi-hollowbody EVH model, the SA126, with details from EVH managing director Matt Bruck. But he doesn’t hold out on the family jewels: Wolf shares the story of his father’s iconic Frankenstein Strat and brings it on the show, with some extra dirt on his dad’s journey from Marshalls to his signature Peavey 5150 amps. When Shifty asks who’s stewarding his father’s invaluable gear, Wolf eases our concerns: “If the world ended, they would still be okay,” he grins.
