Eddie Van Halen's Son Blasts 'Us Weekly' For Publishing 'Lies' About Family
Wolfgang Van Halen, the son and bandmate of legendary guitar player Eddie Van Halen, has fired off a furious tweet at Us Weekly for turning his dad’s death into “entertainment.”
The 29-year-old bass player has used social media only sporadically since his father passed away last month, following a years-long battle with cancer.
Van Halen took exception, however, to a cover story in the entertainment magazine which features his mom Valerie Bertinelli alongside the headline, “Love, Loss & Staying Strong.”
“F--- this, and f--- you US Weekly,” Van Halen writes. “The only thing printed in this piece of toilet paper that’s true is that we all loved my father. This is not a new interview. My mother did not speak to them for this. That is all.”
The thread continues, “I know what a lot of you are going to say. ‘Just ignore it, bro!’ I’m not going to stand by and let people publish lies and make my family’s tragedy someone else’s entertainment.”
Wolfgang has been a member of the rock band since 2006, when he replaced founding Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony. He contributed to Van Halen's final studio album, 2012’s A Different Kind of Truth.
In recent days, Wolf has brushed off premature talk of a reunion and retweeted an example of the trolling he’s received since his dad's passing. “Been off for a while. Apparently not long enough. When stupid rumors make it to me outside of this social media hellhole, I thought it was important enough to clarify that it was bullshit. Sorry for the clarity, everyone. I’m out.”
Eddie Van Halen, the founding Van Halen guitarist and keyboard player, died Oct. 6 at the age of 65. Widely considered one of the greatest electric guitar players of his generation, Van Halen and his bandmates were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, though only Anthony and former singer Sammy Hagar were on hand to accept the honor.
According to several published reports, the Rock Hall will feature the late legend with a special salute during its 2020 induction event.
Here's a YouTube link to a board mix of Van Halen playing a show at Pasadena High in 1975. It's all covers and a bit wonky from time to time but it most definitely sounds like Van Halen. What really struck me was just how much Gene Simmons neutered Van Halen in 1976 because he sounded more like Ace Frehley on those demos than EVH and he definitely sounds like EVH here.
Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud:
Here's a YouTube link to a board mix of Van Halen playing a show at Pasadena High in 1975. It's all covers and a bit wonky from time to time but it most definitely sounds like Van Halen. What really struck me was just how much Gene Simmons neutered Van Halen in 1976 because he sounded more like Ace Frehley on those demos than EVH and he definitely sounds like EVH here.
Enjoy!
I've only heard this one other time, pretty sketchy sound quality iirc but thanks for providing another listen anyway... a rare glimpse into the formative years
Simmons was an idiot back then, wanting to jack with their sound and call them "Daddy Long Legs" lol... almost as bad as Paul Stanley trying to woo GNR back in the day, wanting to change their sound etc
Originally Posted by Easy 6:
The James Gang cover they did was just incredible, everything was on point and meshed so well
It's hard to believe Ted Templeman wanted to replace Roth with Hagar on their first album... you really coudn't feel that magic, Ted?
Dave may not have had much range, but he could always open up and shout it out with genuine feel... he's totally killing it here
I totally get why hundreds of people would how up at backyard parties to hear them play...it's obvious Ed was head and shoulders above for his age. [Reply]
Originally Posted by stevieray:
I totally get why hundreds of people would how up at backyard parties to hear them play...it's obvious Ed was head and shoulders above for his age.
These guys absolutely merit a movie ala The Dirt, Bohemian Rhapsody etc... if done well it'd be EPIC [Reply]
Wolfgang Van Halen Unveils Debut Solo Single “Distance” with Touching Tribute to His Father: Stream
Wolfgang will release his debut solo album in 2021 under the moniker Mammoth WVH
BY JON HADUSEKON NOVEMBER 16, 2020, 10:10AM
Wolfgang Van Halen debut solo single
Wolfgang Van Halen (photo by Travis Shinn), Eddie Van Halen with Wolfgang (via YouTube)
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Wolfgang Van Halen has unveiled the first single from his new solo project Mammoth WVH. Entitled “Distance”, the song is accompanied by a touching video tribute to his late father, guitar virtuoso Eddie Van Halen.
The track is the first solo music we’ve heard from Wolfgang. He had been working on his debut solo album for months prior to the tragic passing of his father and planned to celebrate the occasion with him.
“I never intended ‘Distance’ to be the very first piece of music people would hear from me, but I also thought my father would be here to celebrate its release,” Wolfgang said in a press release. “This is for him. I love and miss you, Pop.”
Wolfgang plays every instrument and sings on “Distance”, which is a pleasant slice of ’90s-inflected power pop featuring a shredding J. Mascis-style guitar solo and soaring vocal crescendo.
The song’s wistful lyrics appear to reflect on his father’s passing, though it was written beforehand and was actually one of Eddie’s favorites from the recording sessions, leading to its selection as the lead single.
“As my pop continued to struggle with various health issues, I was imagining what my life would be like without him and how terribly I’d miss him,” Wolfgang said. “While the song is incredibly personal, I think anyone can relate to the idea of having a profound loss in their life.”
Last week, when Wolfgang hinted that he’d be releasing a new song, a fan accused him of being a “talentless f**king hack” capitalizing on his father’s death to promote his new music. Wolfgang, whose been planning his solo album for years, brushed it off in a tweet that’s since been removed (but captured by Blabbermouth): “I don’t have the energy to come up with a joke for this, just look at this lame asshole lol. What a sad life this dude must lead.”
The video for “Distance” features home movies in chronological order, from the moment Eddie and then-wife Valerie Bertinelli took the newborn Wolfgang home from the hospital to footage of Eddie and Wolfgang jamming onstage as bandmates in Van Halen. It ends with a heartwarming voicemail from Eddie to Wolfgang (watch below).
Proceeds from the sale of the single will go to The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, which helps benefit underfunded music programs in schools. You can purchase the track at this location. The debut album from Mammoth WVH is expected to arrive in 2021 via Explorer1 Music Group.
AMAs 2020: Eddie Trunk Slams Show in Profanity-Laced Rant for Not Celebrating Eddie Van Halen
The 2020 American Music Awards are facing backlash after the annual awards show failed to pay tribute to a music legend. During Sunday night's event, legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen, who died in October, was not celebrated, prompting a profanity-laced rant from radio personality Eddie Trunk.
In a lengthy social media post shared to both Twitter and Instagram, Trunk took aim at the AMAs' treatment of the rock genre, calling the awards show an "embarrassing disgrace." Trunk took particular issue with the nominees in the Pop/Rock categories, which included Post Malone, The Weeknd, Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, BTS, Jonas Brothers, and Maroon 5. He also blasted the AMAs for having "made ZERO acknowledgement of the death of an actual American music icon," referring to Van Halen, a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer who is widely considered one of the greatest guitar players of all time.
"I guess the sight of an actual artist with more than a flash in the pan flavor of the month track record, that actually writes his own music, that didn't blatantly lip sync (like every artist you celebrated tonight) would be too jarring to you?!" he wrote. "I know, I shouldn't care. But I do. Because it's so f–ing offensive to see rock music treated like this on a major TV broadcast"
Writing that he was thankful for DVR, as it allowed him to fast-forward "through this 3 hours of nonsense in 5 minutes," Trunk acknowledged that he is "not in the demo" and that awards show is not "targeted toward me." He suggested that the AMAs "change the name of the show and categories and stop pretending rock has a seat at the table." He said that it was "sickening and pathetic beyond words" that the show "managed to literally celebrate the same music in every category regardless of what the category was labeled." Again shifting his focus to the lack of a celebration of Van Halen's life and career, he wrote that while he didn't mind that the show opted out of a traditional "In Memoriam" segment, he took issue with the fact that the AMAs didn't "even acknowledge" the late musician.
"Oh and on the day you completely ignored once again an entire genre, seemingly deeming it an irrelevant footnote, [AC/DC] has the number one album in the country," he concluded. "Maybe if they lip sync, play to tracks, and get some auto tune going they can have a seat next year? PATHETIC!"
It's not worth the energy to get mad at award shows/popularity contests, I really don't know why people continue to really. The AMA's are irrelevant, who gives a shit? [Reply]
Originally Posted by backinblack:
It's not worth the energy to get mad at award shows/popularity contests, I really don't know why people continue to really. The AMA's are irrelevant, who gives a shit?
