Wolfgang Van Halen recently shared in a new video for Drumeo that he doesn’t listen to Van Halen anymore. Truthfully, it’s understandable why.
In the clip below, he explains his reason being, “I understand, like, that’s the connection that everybody has. But obviously, my connection was a little different. So, when it comes to listening to it, it’s just like, I have the memories. I’m so happy of the time that I was able to be in that three-piece with Dad and Al.”
Wolfgang, of course, joined Van Halen in 2006 when he was only 15. During his tenure with the band, they recorded one album: 2012’s A Different Kind of Truth. Van Halen came to an end with the passing of Wolfgang’s father, Eddie Van Halen, in 2020.
Wolfgang and Eddie clearly had a very close relationship, and the Mammoth leader has shared a lot of praise for his father in interviews over the years. One of the most interesting comments he made was during a 2024 appearance on WTF with Marc Maron.
“In a way, Dad kind of ruined the musical landscape,” explained Wolfgang. “Because instead of everybody wanting to find out who they are, they just wanted to be that.”
Frankly, Wolfgang isn’t wrong. EVH’s influence was so strong that it did lead to a lot of copycat playing styles in the 1980s. Then again, that sentiment can really be applied to any great guitarist. That Oscar Wilde was really on to something when he famously coined, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.”
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