Wolfgang Van Halen Opens Up: ‘I Can see why people Would want to hate me’
Wolfgang Van Halen, son of legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen, has opened up about the challenges he faced when joining the band Van Halen at the young age of 15. In a recent interview, he reflected on the abuse he received after replacing longtime bassist Michael Anthony in 2006.
Despite the criticism, Wolfgang Van Halen, who is now the guitarist for his band WVH Mammoth, focused on the positive aspects of joining the band, particularly supporting his father’s sobriety. During an interview for the WTF with Marc Maron Podcast, “I was just having a good time enjoying my newly sober dad, and jamming with my family and having a wonderful time.”
Support his father
However, Wolfgang acknowledges that he understands why some fans were upset, saying, “Yeah, I can see why people would want to hate me.” He emphasized that his primary role was to support his father and keep the band moving forward, even introducing B-sides to the setlists to give fans something new.
Additional challenges
In recent years, Wolfgang has faced additional challenges, including a public rant by former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth. Despite these difficulties, Wolfgang has learned to distance himself from criticism, stating that stepping back has ‘done wonders for my mental health’.
