Sammy Hagar let the expletives fly when expressing his opinion of Wolfgang Van Halen’s musical skills.
During a recent appearance on the Lipps Service with Scott Lipps podcast, Hagar recalled the first time he heard Wolfgang’s music. Songs from Wolfgang’s eventual debut Mammoth WVH album were sent to him by his father Eddie, who couldn’t wait for the rest of the world to hear them.
“We had a really great text relationship at least weekly,” said Hagar, who had rekindled a friendship with Eddie shortly before he passed last October. “He would talk about Wolfie a lot, saying ‘Wait till you hear [Wolfgang’s solo album].’ He’d send me stuff, and I’d say, ‘Wow. The motherf**ker can play.'”
What impressed Hagar the most was Wolfgang’s ability to produce an album of music all by himself without sounding like it.
“The fact that he plays all those instruments, it sounds like a band,” Hagar said. “When Paul McCartney plays a solo record and plays all the instruments, it sounds like Paul. But this guy, it sounds like a band. I mean, hey, look what he grew up with. He was in that studio hanging out with us. He was on tour with us. He was around.”
Wolfgang was not only around in the studio during Hagar’s return to the band in 2004 (Hagar recorded three new songs for the Best Of Both Worlds greatest hits album), he also joined the band during the ’04 tour featuring Hagar, Eddie, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony. Wolfgang often jumped on stage with his guitar during his dad’s performance of “316”, an instrumental Eddie named after Wolfgang’s birth date (March 16, 1991).
Listen To Sammy Hagar On Lipps Service with Scott Lipps (Presented by SPIN Magazine)
Mammoth WVH “Don’t Back Down”/”Mammoth”/”Mr. Ed”/”Think It Over” Atlantic City 9/12/21