Wolfgang Van Halen Interview

Beasley Digital

Recently Wolfgang Van Halen had a chat with Pierre. They spoke about his new single "Distance",  from Mammoth WVH it’s a great tribute to his late father the amazing Eddie Van Halen, they also discuss Wolfgang's early trips through Philadelphia while touring with Van Halen as a teen as well as playing with Mark Tremonti here, he talks about a few of his favorite songs from the forthcoming album and more check it out.

Transcript

00:00It is 93.3 WMMR here in Philadelphia, Pierre Robert, and we have the pleasure of the company

00:05of a musician who I think you could say not only was raised in, but almost bathed in music,

00:12if you will. His name is Wolfgang Van Halen. He's got a band that we'll be seeing at some

00:18point in the future, Mammoth WVH, an amazing song called Distance. And Wolfgang, a pleasure to

00:25welcome you to MMR. Oh, thanks so much for having me. It's a pleasure. Oh, it's great to see you.

00:30I actually got to meet you at a little club outside of Philly. It was called The Note,

00:36and you were playing with Tremonti. And Mark has been a friend of ours for a long time here at MMR.

00:43MMR is a rock station in Philly that's been on for 52 years and alive and well in an era where

00:49commercial, you know, rock and roll stations aren't really alive. And you just nailed it in that set

00:55with Tremonti. And I think you got thrown into that right at the last minute, didn't you?

01:01Yeah, yeah. It was, I just happened to be in New Jersey when they were in New York and needing a

01:05bass player. And I went over there in the middle of the night, learned the whole set and on the tour

01:11next day. Really fun story. Wow. That's just great. I mean, you've been thrown into the fire,

01:17if you will, on a number of occasions. I think when you joined the reunited Van Halen in 07,

01:22you were 16 years of age. I remember stories of reading about your father going to pick you up

01:27at high school for practice with Van Halen. Did you feel at that time on, you know, particularly

01:34those first few shows of that tour, even though I'm sure you had rehearsed a lot, did you feel a

01:39lot of pressure at that time? You know, of course, I think there was a lot of pressure and I'm an

01:47anxious person in person in general. So I certainly experienced that day to day. But yeah,

01:54but overall, you know, we had rehearsed so much that that just getting up there and locking in

01:59with with dad now just made everything good. You could just kind of block everything else out and

02:04just go for it. What was the experience like if you were to try to describe it to someone? Because

02:09again, that's pretty even though you were raised in that whole environment and you

02:13had Los Angeles celebrity and all of that stuff that goes along with it. But still for you to be,

02:20you know, a key part of a three piece musical entity, essentially in a singer, that's a lot.

02:28And I'm just curious what was going through your head, particularly those first four or five guys,

02:32I saw the show in Philly and I was so excited to see Dave back with the van with the band and see how

02:38you would do. And, you know, you nailed it. But the tour was had been underway for some time at

02:43that point. But, you know, those first few shows, particularly how how did you deal with it? How

02:48did you you know, how did you feel you did? How did you relate to it? It was incredibly overwhelming,

02:53but it was so exciting all at the same time because, you know, we had been rehearsing for

02:59so long at that point that it was it you felt like you were finally getting to do what you were

03:05waiting for the whole time. Yeah, still a lot of a lot of nerves, but eventually, you know, you just

03:12get into it and you get comfortable. Mark Dramati told me a story about going to 5150 studios and

03:20hearing I think it was you and Alex and your father running through the album and how, you know,

03:27awestruck he was to be in the presence of of that kind of talent in that very famous location.

03:33And can you describe what 5150 is like to folks? Because we've all heard about it. A friend of ours,

03:40Ike Richmond, who does a lot of promotion here in the area and has known Ed for a long time,

03:46talked about going in and seeing your father's cigarettes with ashes that would, you know, extend

03:52out on the ashtray like he had started that light of smoke and then gotten caught up in some musical

03:57moment. And the cigarette just kind of burned itself out, things like that. But is it a small space,

04:02a larger space? What's it like? It's a bunch of kind of small rooms put together. And then, you know,

04:08the live room is a little bit bigger. A lot of a lot of nicks and scratches on the ground. Cigarette

04:12burns character. Like I'd never want to to fix that or remodel it. You know, it's it's just all the

04:19characters. It's just like baked into the walls. It's it's a it's a lovely, lovely. It's home for me.

04:26Yeah, I can imagine. I wanted to ask you how you're doing. You've probably been asked a lot,

04:33but it's only been two months. And for a lot of us, you know, we'd known your dad had had some

04:39health bouts. But for a lot of us, we were kind of taken by surprise when all of a sudden we learned,

04:45you know, that he had passed. I sort of thought he had had cancer and sort of overcome it. But I guess

04:51that wasn't the case. Yeah, no, it's he had been struggling over the years. It was up and down,

04:58but we always had faith that that he'd make it through. But, you know, I'd been working on my

05:05album for so long and it was ready to go. But it was either, you know, you want to go on tour and

05:11not be home or do you want to spend time with your dad? And I think I made the right choice.

05:16Oh, you definitely did. You know, there's this song. Well, this song is so amazing. I'd like to

05:24ask you about some of the other music you have. I don't know how much time we have. But this song

05:29Distance, you to really appreciate it. I highly encourage everyone to check out the video because

05:36it's just so beautifully put together. It's the story of your early life, essentially. But it's the

05:42story of a father and son connection that's so potent and so powerful. It's got pictures of or

05:48video of you coming home from the hospital, you and your mom and your dad with a big smile on his face.

05:54And he's kissing your forehead and you're all wrapped, you know, and then in in the blankets and

05:59stuff. And then, you know, there's my favorite scene is him sitting at a piano playing and you're

06:06sitting in his lap. You know, other scenes where you're, you know, kind of fiddling with his guitar.

06:11He stops playing guitar and puts it down so you can play it. And the words are so potent. You

06:17write, I'm so happy you found a place that's better for you than this rock we're living on. I'm so

06:22nervous. Don't know my place. A life without you. I'm not ready to move on. No matter what the

06:28distance is, I will be with you. No matter what the distance is, you'll be okay. So potent. So,

06:35so from the heart, it's a beautiful song and beautiful words to go along with it. And an amazing

06:41video. Thanks. That means the world. The response from, from, from everyone has been so incredible.

06:47I never expected it to resonate with so many. Really? Yeah. You're surprised. Yeah. I can't

06:53believe, I know people would at least check it out under the circumstances, but seeing all these

06:58stories and everybody relating it to their own life has been a huge honor. Had your dad heard the song

07:04before he passed? Yeah. Yeah. He, he, he heard, uh, everything I recorded. Did he see the video

07:09at all? No, no, the video wasn't even close. That was late in the game. Because there at the very end

07:15is, is I guess a voicemail that he left you, I assume close to the end and it's so moving and so

07:22powerful. Can you describe that? Yeah. I, I, I had, uh, I'd been going through my phone after everything

07:27that happened and I found this one from, I think it was actually a couple of years ago. Um, and, uh,

07:33it just, I think it was a really great example of just how amazing of a father, uh, he, he was that I

07:39thought it was really important to share. You know, a friend of mine, um, not too long after high

07:44school, his father suddenly died and he left this analogy for me that I've always related to. I grew up

07:51in California and grew up around earthquakes in San Francisco. And he said that death is like an

07:56earthquake where you get this initial shock, but your body, your psyche really can't absorb it all.

08:03So somewhat again, analogous to an earthquake, you get aftershocks. So you get the initial shock

08:09and you sort of think you can absorb it, but you really couldn't take all of that enormity at once.

08:15And then you get an aftershock. Okay. I get it now, but you still haven't gotten it. And these

08:20aftershocks continue as long as they continue. And it's kind of only when they've all kind of played

08:25out that you sort of come to acceptance with it. Does that resonate with you at all?

08:30Yeah, certainly. I think being so, so fresh in this, uh, it really doesn't ever seem like I'm

08:36going to be a hundred percent again. It's, it's more of just that you kind of live with this,

08:40this empty space and you just kind of figure out how to carry it a bit better rather than,

08:45than fill it.

08:46Well, how do you see yourself progressing? Because you know that you have to go on,

08:50you know, your dad wants you to go on, uh, you've got this song and I assume there's some

08:54other songs coming, there's a full album completed. Is that correct?

08:58Yeah, exactly. Um, so how would you see that playing out as the days go on? Assuming we get

09:03past this COVID crisis?

09:05Yeah. Uh, my father's pride and, and, and belief in me is, is what keeps me going. Uh, so, uh,

09:11it's kind of, and I, I feel closest to him when, when, when I'm, you know, in, in, in the music.

09:17So, uh, just in the music world and playing music. And, uh, so I'm really looking forward

09:23to, to getting this album out, uh, come like late spring-ish, uh, so everybody can hear and

09:29cause they enjoy distance so much. I'm excited to see what they think of, of everything else.

09:33Um, can you give us an example of, you know, or, you know, just describe one of the other songs

09:38that really moves you that you love?

09:40Yeah, I think, uh, it's funny. It's going to be more of a rock record. You know, I think, uh,

09:45distance is kind of an outlier there. There are definitely softer songs on the album. Uh, I think,

09:50uh, what'll surprise a lot of people is, uh, one of my, my dad's favorite song on the album is a

09:55song called think it over. And, uh, it's actually a, probably the poppiest song. Really? Yeah. And

10:01he, he just, gosh, he loved that song so much. So I'm excited for people to hear it.

10:05There's nothing wrong with a catchy song. An upbeat pop song is great. I think

10:08I see the bass behind you on your right hand side. Uh, it, does that have a history

10:15because it's got those markings on it? Yeah. It's, uh, it's, uh, the Wolfgang bass that I

10:19played, uh, on the last two Van Halen tours. There's only two. So it's, uh, just a really

10:24cool bass. I thought it was nice to have in the background. Oh, it's great. You've, uh, you've

10:29mentioned in terms of, um, archives that you don't see digging into the archives and what a

10:34complicated process that would be. And yet, uh, you know, people always kind of clamor for

10:39unreleased material. And I've heard of, you know, bootleg, other versions of hot for teacher

10:45and things like that, that are out there. Um, does that still, would you, would you think

10:51that you would have an archivist go through that before you'd even attempt that? Or is

10:55it not something you'd be interested in doing at all? Uh, definitely down the line. I just

10:59wouldn't expect it anytime soon. Uh, you know, I think my dad released all the stuff that he

11:04wanted people to hear. So, uh, uh, uh, knowing how amazing my father was, I know there's gotta

11:10be some amazing stuff in there. Um, it's just a matter of, of doing it properly and, uh,

11:14more importantly, uh, archiving it, uh, to keep everything safe and alive.

11:18Two more questions. I know you've got to go, but one of them regards, uh, here in Philly,

11:23because when you were on the, those, uh, tours, you were still a very young man. And I heard here

11:29in Philly that you, uh, went to the constitution center here, um, while you were here. I don't,

11:35uh, I don't know if that's accurate, but if it was, I'm just wondering what your impressions

11:38were. Yeah. I, it was so long ago. Cause I remember I was, uh, gosh, I remember I had,

11:45I had a tutor, uh, cause I was, it was for 11th grade for the very first tour. So, so she

11:50took me to like everywhere that had any historical significance, uh, in, in Philadelphia. And it

11:55was, it was really fun and amazing time. I heard you also got a cheesesteak samplings

11:59of. Oh yeah. Cause in Geno's I guess, right? Yeah. My, uh, uh, my good friend, uh, and he's

12:05like a, he's like a brother and an uncle to me. He's been, uh, in, in my, my family's

12:09life for my, uh, my, my entire life, Matt Bruck, he's from Philadelphia. Uh, every time

12:15we're in town, we always, you know, we go, we go to Jim's, Pat's, Geno's, and we always

12:19do a blind taste test. It's really fun. Did you know, uh, which one won just out of

12:24curiosity? I think Geno's won one year. Uh, I, I can't remember. I, I'm, I guess we got

12:30to go back and you're not a food critic. You're a musician. Uh, one final question

12:34because I'm a unity freak. And so I always, I always, there was so much lost time in the

12:42Van Halen history book, if you will. And so much, uh, what I would describe as untapped

12:47potential, if that makes sense to you. Um, uh, during the times there was Sammy and that

12:54was so successful than this long gap and then Sammy again, and then eventually Dave

13:00and you, but I envisioned and Sammy and Dave sort of tried it, but it was a miserable

13:06failure, but I envisioned this grand unity tour. And I'm wondering if, uh, any of that

13:12makes any sense to you. I could, I could have seen a day, obviously it won't happen, but

13:17I could have seen a day when the two singers, maybe even three, maybe even bring Gary on

13:21Gary Sharon, but Sam and Dave would be on stage with you and Michael Anthony and Alex

13:28and your father, Eddie Van Halen. And I think it would have been the largest tour under the

13:34sun for a long time to come if, well, it's a delicate thing, egos and all that stuff.

13:41But do you think that ever had been a beautiful mess for sure? It would have been incredible

13:46and so worth doing for sure.

13:48You do think so.

13:50Yeah. Oh yeah. It would have been a, I guess a beautiful mess would be the best way to put

13:54it.

13:54What would, what, where would you have fit into that? Would you have played bass keyboards?

13:58Would you have, cause you're certainly capable of all kinds of music.

14:01Yeah. I mean, in any, in, in any shape or form, I think it just would have been fun to

14:05just be a big old party. I could open for it. You know, I could hop in for keyboards or

14:09do a, doing a different kind of truth song or play on the bass or, uh, just would have

14:14been a good time. And, um, do you ever see some kind of a tribute concert somewhere down

14:19the line, somewhere down the line for sure. When it's all safe, I think it's kind of out

14:23of the question right now. Right. But down the line, uh, I wouldn't be against, you know,

14:27a proper, uh, tribute show for sure.

14:29And the album, when it comes out, what will it be called?

14:33Uh, no plan on that yet, but as soon as we hammer everything out, uh, you'll hear, just

14:38stay tuned to the socials.

14:39Well, the song is distance. It's an amazing piece of music. I congratulate, uh, you for

14:44it. The band, when we hear it will be mammoth W V H Wolfgang Van Halen has been our guest

14:50here on MMR in Philly. And we thank you so much for your time and, uh, wish you all the

14:54best and stay in touch with us. We'd love to have you eventually come by and chat

14:59with us in person.

15:00Thanks so much, man. It was a pleasure. Uh, looking forward to hanging out when this

15:03is all over.

15:04Cool. All the best. And if you see Mark Tremonti, tell him Pierre said, hi, you got it.

15:08All right. Cheers.

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