Despite carving out his own path in rock music with Mammoth WVH, Wolfgang Van Halen constantly faces pressure from fans to perform his father’s legendary Van Halen hits. But Wolfgang remains firm—he refuses to capitalize on his father’s legacy for personal gain, choosing instead to focus on his own original music.
During a recent interview on The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan, Wolfgang opened up about the struggle of being compared to his late father, Eddie Van Halen, and why playing Van Halen songs would feel like “selling out.”
Wolfgang Van Halen on Fan Expectations
Wolfgang acknowledges that a significant portion of his audience expects to hear Van Halen classics like “Panama” at his concerts.
“I guarantee you there’s at least 20% of every crowd at our show that leaves disappointed I didn’t play ‘Panama,’” he admitted.
However, as much as he respects his father’s work, Wolfgang emphasizes that Van Halen’s music is not Mammoth WVH’s music. He sees his band as a completely separate entity, and playing his father’s hits would not align with his artistic vision.
Billy Corgan Relates to Wolfgang’s Experience
During the conversation, Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins related to Wolfgang’s situation. Corgan recalled how, when touring his debut solo album in 2005, fans kept demanding Smashing Pumpkins songs, rather than embracing his new material.
This kind of expectation is common for artists who step out of the shadow of their past—whether it’s a band or a legendary parent.
Eddie Van Halen’s Influence on Wolfgang’s Mindset
Wolfgang credits his father, Eddie Van Halen, for shaping his artistic integrity. He referenced a quote from Eddie regarding Van Halen’s 1982 album Diver Down, which included a significant number of cover songs:
“I’d rather bomb with my own material than succeed with someone else’s.”
Wolfgang has fully embraced this philosophy. Even though he knows playing Van Halen hits would be an easy way to make money, he refuses to do so because it would feel creatively unfulfilling.
Wolfgang Van Halen: “I’d Be Selling Out” If I Played Van Halen Songs
Wolfgang is aware that he could easily capitalize on his family’s legacy, but it wouldn’t feel right.
“I could very easily shack up and do ‘Wolf Does Van Halen’ and do that and probably make a decent living at it,” he admitted.
However, he finds the idea hollow and creatively unfulfilling, saying:
“I feel like it’s kind of selling out, and I could never do that. That’s not satisfying to me. I would rather bomb on my own than succeed with what my dad laid before me.”
Dealing with Van Halen Superfans
Wolfgang understands that not all fans will support his decision. Some hardcore Van Halen followers continue to criticize him for not playing his father’s songs. However, he finds their behavior ironic.
“It’s a funny thing when you see the people who are the strongest Van Halen fans outwardly acting in a way that my dad would be disgusted with.”
Wolfgang believes that Eddie Van Halen would have wanted him to follow his own path rather than simply recreating the past.