The Untold Truth Of Wolfgang Van Halen

Wolfgang Van Halen was all of 16 years old the year he stepped into Dad's work environment to replace long-time Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony. It depends on who you ask, whether Anthony quit or was fired or edged out, but in 2007, 16-year-old Wolfgang, on bass, joined his father, Eddie, on guitar, and uncle, Alex, on drums, for an even more Van Halen Van Halen.

In various incarnations, including David Lee Roth, Sammy Haggar, and Gary Cherone as frontmen, Van Halen came together in 1974. Eddie married actor Valerie Bertinelli in 1981, and from that union emerged Wolfgang in 1990. In 2007, Rolling Stone quoted Michael Anthony, former bassist with Van Halen:

"Wolfgang is a great kid, so don't judge him too harshly. I'm sure he'll do just fine!!"

Uncle Alex told reporters at the press conference announcing the new lineup's tour dates:

"I can describe Wolfie in two words. DNA."

At first, it had to have been difficult. No question that Eddie loved his son, but did Wolfgang really want to hang out with his dad and uncle and that generation of musicians?

Filmmaker Andrew Bennett told Billboard that at first, Wolfgang, quote, "seemed like a really bored teenager working a summer job. He never complained, but he didn't look like he was having the time of his life either."

It was his belief that Eddie was overjoyed to share his profession with his son. He continued,

"Eddie talked to him like a band member. Eddie would die for Wolfgang. He would kill for him."

In July 2020, Rolling Stone reported that Wolfgang was working on his debut solo album, with the musician noting,

"I'm fully prepared for a wave of hate when my music releases because it won't be what people think it'll be. I'm not trying to be my father; I'm trying to be me."

His mother has also talked about letting Wolfgang follow his own path. She told Good Housekeeping,

"I'm finding the fine line of staying out of his business and still staying connected ... Because when he was little, it was just like, I would hate to put him down my whole world was him. And I loved it that way. And that's the way it should have been. But now, he's got his own life. So I try to stay out."

The band Van Halen hasn't performed since 2015, and their last studio album dropped in 2012; David Lee Roth started doing solo shows in early 2020 and seemed to indicate the band was over and done.

People are people, wherever you go, and music is music at least, that seems to be Wolfgang's attitude toward the family business. Rolling Stone quoted him in late 2019:

"Music is supposed to bring us together, not divide us. Listen to what you want and don't shame others for not knowing what you like."

It was music that brought Eddie and Wolfgang together as more than father and son when Wolfgang was a teen. But interwoven through those times of shared music was Eddie's long-time substance abuse. Andrew Bennett, quoted in Billboard, observed the toll it took on Wolfgang, watching his father deal with long-standing demons involving alcohol and drugs.

"Wolfgang would be pretty solemn. You could tell it was bothering him. He wasn’t angry or jaded, he was just really sad. He wished his dad wasn’t in so much pain, and he wished there was something he could do. And Eddie was aware."

After a long battle with various cancers, Eddie Van Halen died October 6 at age 65. With that tragic news came the heartbreaking information that Wolfgang was among those at his bedside at the end. With Wolfgang were his mother, Valerie Bertinelli; Eddie's wife, Janie; and Eddie's brother, Alex, according to TMZ.

Wolfgang shared the news of his loss via Instagram:

"I can't believe I'm having to write this, but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning. He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I've shared with him on and off stage was a gift. My heart is broken and I don't think I'll ever fully recover from this loss. I love you so much, Pop."

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