Eddie: Wolfgang is permanent
From Rolling Stone.com:
Even Jeff Spicoli couldn’t have imagined a life this awesome: Wolfgang Van Halen, 17, spent last year on the road with his dad’s band Van Halen, playing bass on “Runnin’ With the Devil” and “Panama” to packed arenas — and he’s still on schedule to graduate from high school this June. “Wolfie had it the toughest on tour: he had three or four hours of [tutoring] every day, and then the gig,” says Eddie Van Halen. “I yanked him out of school for 11th grade, which is actually the most important year, because that’s what they go by for college. And the school said, ‘We’re not going to let him back in, if you pull him out, because we’ve never done that before.’ Well, first time for everything, dude, you know? They did let him back for 12th grade, because he wanted to graduate with his buddies.”
Wolfie plans to attend college at some point in the future, according to his dad: “He’s obviously going to Julliard or something like that — and they’ll take him at the drop of a hat, because he is ready. And the kid can act, too.” But for now? “He is a part of Van Halen. Permanently.”
That means Wolfgang is certainly a part of the band’s plans for a new album: In the current issue, Eddie Van Halen said he’s writing new songs for the next time Van Halen take the road. “I’ve got tons of music written, such a variety of stuff,” Eddie told Rolling Stone. “The essence of me is obviously there, and those drums, they’re always recognizable. But people expect a certain thing from Van Halen, and this isn’t exactly bang-your-head-against-the-wall stuff.”
Filed under: Eddie Van Halen, Van Halen, Wolfgang Van Halen
Leave a comment
trackback • RSS 2.0
February 7th, 2009 at 8:55 am
I don’t need new music. I want to see them with Roth again and I’m happy to pay 200 dollars to be in row 8 again.
February 7th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I have a son who is 16 and i could see why he’s been laying low ….This is important….so we’ll see if they tour…Wolfie has a charmed life to say the least
February 7th, 2009 at 11:32 am
ANYBODY HEARD ME WISE MAGIC? BY FAR THEIR BEST TUNE SINCE 1984.DAVE BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN ED .,IF DAVE FARTS IN THE TUB WHILE ED PLAYS GUITAR, IM BUYING.
February 7th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Ok, that the final straw that is making me write this. . .
#1- I will not pay excissive ticket prices to see FAUX HALEN
#2- Where’s Mike (no offense wolfie) he actually cares about the fans
#3- If the recordings of the last tour are any sign I’d rather see a good van halen cover band. at least they can hit the notes
Ed i was your biggest fan and will always love to listen to “vh1″ up to “balance”. after that, you lost your way. I’m buying the joke you’re selling the public anymore!!!
February 7th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Hey Mitch’
If Mike cared about the fans he would have showed up for work and not started a new band called PLANET US!!! His lost is our GAIN!! Ed’s playing, touring and supposedly recording!
THANK YOU WOLFIE!!! The TRUE FANS APPRICIATE THE IMPACT YOU’VE HAD ON VAN HALEN!!!!!!!!!!!
February 7th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
I am sure Ed & Al are aware that you can’t please all the folks all of the time. I am sure they appreciate all of their fans but are doing what is right for them, just as we all do for ourselves.
Life is short and after 25 years I am happy beyond measure that Dave toured with van Halen again. Yes. This group of van Halen makes me happy beyond measure.
I am sorry that Mike and the band parted ways but am tired of reading and hearing the negative chatter about Wolf. Obviously, he is a great kid. I admire him for having the spine to play in front of us rabid fans at this transitional time of his life.
This is not a matter of ego. This was not easy for him.
He has the same basic love for music and his family as Ed and Al did, always have & always will. After all that this family has apparently gone through together I admire their commitment to each other & their passion for music.
We all love Ed & Al’s daring, originality, creativity, and desire to “break the mold” when it comes to music. However, there are those fans who love to crap on them verbally when those same endearing characteristics don’t adhere to everyone’s individual ideals.
Not this van Halen fan. Go to town, boys! Do your thing. (Thank you for bringing Dave back.)
Wolf, don’t pay attention to the negativity. Nothing that is worth having comes easily. Anyone with an ounce of clear judgment could see that tour wasn’t easy for you. Keep going!!!! You did great!
Thanks for pushing your Dad to bring back the classics. Although I have 2,333 tracks on my IPOD, VH - 1984 have been in my car stereo since the tour was announced. After 25 years, I’m so glad this music is back that I am having a terrible time putting it away.
LONG LIVE VAN HALEN!!!
February 7th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Lets be happy Ed’s talking and hats off to VHND for keeping us informed.
February 7th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
” I saw her mountains sing , Birds against an icy sky , And I heard bells ringing , Think I heard an angel cry and she said:There’ll be time there will be time - your gonna hear the angels singing , your gonna hear the angels sing , They’ll sing” - David lee Roth in Van Halen ; Women and children first ‘ In a simple Rhyme ‘…..Pure magic. Can’t get this stuff no more’ indeed.
February 7th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Van Halen is like your first kiss, your first good wave, the first time you earned anything worth earning like a car , a compliment on hard work , finishing High school. P:S It’s ” I think I heard and angel sigh “
February 7th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
I think it’s kind of a catch 22. Ed is back because Wolfie is playing in the band. That is amazing and I’m thankful for the music. The tour was a success and well recieved by fans and critics. Wolfie is definately a key ingredient to the 2009 Van Halen band.
The flip side to that is Wolfie needs to do his own thing find his own voice in this world. From all the footage I’ve seen he doesn’t look to be interested at all. Just kind of going throught the motions. Zero stage presence. He should go to college and study music, acting, or whatever his heart desires. I just don’t think he truly desires to play bass. I’ve read in an article that he really likes playing drums but the only position open was bass. The offer is just too good to pass by. Of course he’s going to play in his dad’s band, it’s one of the greatest bands in American history. Who wouldn’t?
I really think Wolfie is stuck between a rock and a hard place. He can’t tell his dad no, he’s whats keeping Eddie interested in playing and touring again. And to me it looks like his interests are elswhere.
I feel for him. He seems like a good kid and carries himself with integrity. But when does he get to live his own life?
February 8th, 2009 at 7:26 am
Ok, Mike lost his place on Van Halen today.
Wolfie can be a nice boy, etc, etc…Eddie loves the boy. Sure, it´s his son. But i don´t see The Van Halen talent on Wolfie. I´m sorry. When Eddie talk about his son, he push a “little too much”, of course, like every proud father. He looks to the kid with father eyes…
Wolfie don´t have the music talent like his father and uncle. Don´t have the charisma on the stage. Don´t even looks like a Van Halen. I don´t see the Eddie´s face on Wolfie…It´s weird!! rsrrs
Michael Anthony have the sense of humor, the charisma, the looks, the face and the talent that makes we remember the Van Halen songs way of life. David Lee Roth have A LOT this too.
I don´t know. I respect the Eddie´s choice. But it´s not a professional thing. And musically, i don´t think it´s the better choice.
If Wolfie is a permanent band member…well, So, Van Halen just do will touring or record when the kid is on vacation on the high school and the college???
It´s another reason to miss Mike.
Good luck to Wolfie.
(And good luck to us, the fans!!)
February 8th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Welcome WOLFIE…….. =) ENJOY MAKING MUSIC WITH YOU DAD AND UNCLE. HAVE FUN DOING IT.
February 8th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
I thinks its kind of sad that a band has to wait for one member to say ” your staying ” …this has never happened before in the media regarding rock bands …. and it is a testament to manipulation and head games
February 8th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Allright Ed, you’ve made your point. No more BS, it’s time for some new music and a European tour, don’t you think? Or should I say it the oldfashioned way: kom godverdegodver eindelijk eens met een nieuw album om deze daarna van A tot Z live te spelen in Nederland…
Frank, NL
February 8th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
ED, DO WHAT U WANT…… DON’T LISTEN TO ALL THIS PPL OUT THERE. =)
February 8th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
hey its just the bass player who cares!
February 8th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Oh yeah…I just meant media manipulation
February 9th, 2009 at 5:32 am
Why not just put out the new music WITHOUT a singer, a la Eric Johnson, Steve Vai or Joe Satriani? I would love to hear a few songs like that. Doesn’t have to be an album that you tour behind. Just a few NEW songs that we can enjoy. It’ll keep the publicity going for a while, until you can tour when Wolfie is done with school.
February 9th, 2009 at 5:41 am
We love you wolfie you are a Vanhalen it is your brith right
to be in the greatest band that has ever walked the world
February 9th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Gary cherone was permanent too….
February 9th, 2009 at 10:15 am
The thing that I think the most about this is that Michael Anthony was cool with it. He would have loved to be out there with the original lineup but it wasn’t meant to be. Michael wished the best for Wolfgang. Michael Anthony is one true class act in rock and roll. I will be buying the Chickenfoot (or whatever they will be called) CD. Will I buy a new VH CD? Yes.
Maybe I am in the minority here, but I have liked something about each of the incarnations of Van Halen.
February 9th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Gary Cherones last name aint Vanhalen.wolfies a talented kid.Its his dads band.The name on the marquee is Vanhalen. If you cant deal with it,step off & go to Redrocker.com
February 9th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
There wouldn’t be Van Halen fans if they didn’t get a little sand in their vaginas every once in awhile… ;-P
February 9th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Bill instramentals suck I can’t get in to them. Bring Dave back and rock the house!!
February 9th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Bryan,,You said it all.
February 11th, 2009 at 6:29 am
When I first heard that Eddie was sending a 16 year old out on tour I thought it was child abuse! I couldnt fathom a 16 year old being able to handle playing in front of that many people without a back ground playing clubs!
But the kid pulled it off and played just as good or better than Mike ever did! In the end it was Eddie that couldnt handle the tour and ended up back in rehab for a short stint…..which I credit to Wolfie!
I also credit him for getting Dave back and getting the whole band back on track. Now we might get a new Album with Dave and another tour…….and we have Wolfie to thank.
To me thats alot better than the fiasco they had with Sammy and Mike!
February 14th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Who really cares now we have two great bands Van halen and Chickenfoot. I hope they split again and make it 4.
July 27th, 2009 at 2:24 am
new album! period!
July 27th, 2009 at 2:26 am
Mike wasn’t a real impact member, who really cared . Honestly! Three Van Halens ? I like the prospects .
September 18th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Nepotism. I’d like to see the real band Van Halen: Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen. Not 3 Van Halens with a Roth singing.
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:13 pm
who was it that said Mike wasn’t a real impact member? Are you kidding me?? With his under-rated famous backing vocals on ALL VH albums, classic stage presence and the down and dirty bass licks that only Michael Anthony could dish out! I saw the tour with Dave & wolfie, and to be honest wolfie had the stage presence of a potato. They would have been better off using a pre-recorded bass track! As someone said in an earlier post, it was obvious Wolfie had really no interest in what he was doing. A new album and a second tour will tell the tale. In the mean time, Chickenfoot ROCKS better than anything out there right now!
October 9th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
HEY STEW.JUST THE BASS PLAYER HUH? OBVIOUSLY YOU NEVER SAW VAN HALEN LIVE WITH MICHEAL ANTHONY! HE IS A HUGE PART OF THE VAN HALEN SOUND ESPECIALLY ON BACKGROUND VOCALS! HE WAS A BIG PART OF THE STAGE SHOW ALSO WITH HIS JACK DANIELS BASS AND WILD BASS SOLOS. I THINK THE LONGTIME FANS LIKE ME WHO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THEM SINCE THE FIRST RECORD CAME OUT ARE GETTING RIPPED OFF SO EDDIE CAN HAVE HIS SON ON TOUR WITH HIM. NOTHING AGAINST THE KID BUT VAN HALEN AIN’T THE SAME WITHOUT MIKE! I GUESS BY THE TIME MIKE IS BACK IN THE BAND ,DAVID LEE ROTH WILL BE OUT AGAIN…. WHAT A CIRCUS!
October 19th, 2009 at 9:51 am
This album is going to suck the big one. It’ll be worse than the stuff they did with Cherone and Eddie is totally disillusioned.
October 24th, 2009 at 6:14 am
Wolfie not only has the stage presence of a potato but he’s shaped like one too! Unfortunately Chickenfoot won’t do VH tunes. I thought Extreme’s version of “Mean Streets” was actually better than VH’s latest. Dave sings all over the map and Gary actually does a more straight version and Nuno pushes the envelope on guitar. Never thought I’d say that cuz I’m not even an Extreme fan.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I dont get the infatuation with David Lee Roth or Wolfgang. David Lee roth was OK, but Sammy hagar has way better vocals, and plays a mean guitar. Wolfgang doesnt touch Michael anthony. Simply put, Vanhalen MUST have Eddie, Alex, and Michael…and atleast sammy or David lee roth. the rest of these situations are not good in my opinion, The last VH Concert i saw was with Roth in Houston, and that was not a good concert. Its funny that this band qualifies for both my best and worst concert, but I believe it reflects their inability to stick with a strong set of talent. And trust me I was a DIE HARD FAN during the 80’s and 90’s.
Whats also cool, is going to van halen and getting to hear some Sammy hagar three lock box sounds…By the way, for all of you who think Roth is so awesome, Sammy hagar blows him away on songs like “Jump”.
November 24th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Saw V.H. Live three times since 1987 and have listened to em since ‘82. Do not understand so many negs and shit for brain comments on this band over the years. They have only and of course I’m talkin specifically the two brothers, takin ROCK and the creativeness associated with their style to levels that only a handful of bands HAVE FUCKIN EVER MAINTAINED OVER A PERIOD OF 30 PLUS YEARS!!LET EDWARD and his FANTASTIC SON WOLFGANG WOW US FOR AS LONG AND LOUD AS IS POSSIBLE.YOU GOTTA DO A BUCKET LIST NUMERO UNO AND SEE THIS BAND KICK YOUR ASS LIVE!! THEY GIVE YOU ALL THEY FUCKIN HAVE ON THAT STAGE. DAVE IS ALL THE WAY THERE TOO, JUST LIKE BACK IN THE DAY!! LONG LIVE V.H. and SHUT YOUR JEALOUS PUSSIES UP!!PEACE OUT…
December 8th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Van Halen Chicago United Center! Like going to the kingdom of heaven! Make things happen!
December 20th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
vanhalen is taking almost as much time releaseing more new music as rock band foreigner please stop making excuses andrelease a album of new music please also release career spanning box set of unreleased new songs demos unreleased studio album leftovers b sides livetracks thanks jon macvean
December 21st, 2009 at 9:25 am
EDWARD & AlEX, at the end of Women and Children First there was a fade out of what you once said was the intro to a song or solo that would be completed on a future album. When will you pick this up and finish it? I have been waiting 29 years for this, I can wait if I must, But come on already “Finish what you started”. BOOM boom boom BOOM boom boom BOOM boom boom BOOM …Dank dan dan dan Dank dan dan Dang dan dan dan Dank dan dan…etc You know the riff.
January 3rd, 2010 at 10:12 am
i remember camping out behind turtles watin on tickets to go on sail when i was 17 my vw bus had a big ol vh logo spraypaintes in silver letters on the front that was when rockinroll was real before the synthisizer bs or that fkd up sammy crap now i live on an island off the coast of belize and all i here is wrap crap on the radio its been long enough man lemee havit vallery is fine again so u can have the arm candy i dont have many years left as most of your fans are mid 40s also please let us rock again my soal really really needs the charge dude
January 18th, 2010 at 9:13 pm
Van Halen is was and always will be the best rock band. Nobody listens to them for Dave or Sammy. They listen to them for EDDIE. EVH is a guitar god. He paved the way for players like satriani and vai. He is a living legend. He doesnt need us to like his decisions, but most of us need him it seems. Dave was a good leader. Sammy was too. Cherone was not a bad choice, just bad timing. Sammy led VH to more number 1s than Roth, but Roth was great too. Eddie is a perfectionist and only demands it from his lead singers. He demands LOYALTY. EVH doesnt need us. We need him. Everyone of you get on here and bash VH for this or that. Does it matter? NO. Your still gonna look for his albums, your still gonna wait for his tours, and regardless of who is the front man, or the bass player, your gonna go to the show just so you can tell your grandkids that you saw VH in concert. We are all a fan of EVH. I support them regardless of who they have on bass, or singing. As long as Eddie is going to be blowing out our ear drums with his incredible solos, then I will forever be faithfull to the VAN HALEN band. Wolfgang is just an added perk because as he gets used to the spotlight, he will develop and lead the band into the future, so my kids will be able to listen to VH long after EDDIE is gone. LONG LIVE EDDIE VAN HALEN.
January 21st, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Can’t wait.. As long as we see Eddie, Alex, Wolfgang aaaaaaaand David on stage! VH is my favorite band and I was so excited to see them reunite… Want to see it continue!