Mark Tremonti couldn’t help but sing the praises of his former bassist and Mammoth WVH frontman, Wolfgang Van Halen. Ultimate-Guitar.com transcribed some of Tremonti’s web chat with WDHA-FM where he had only the highest compliments for Van Halen as a person and a player.
Tremonti said, “I couldn’t be happier for him. The record’s awesome, and it put a big smile on my face when I heard it. I see how people are reacting to it. It’s just great. Wolfgang is the nicest guy in the world, and he’s had to deal with his last name, positive or negative. Positive because it’s one of the greatest bands ever, but negative in a way where it’s, like, how can you not think of your father when you hear that name? So it’s been a big step for him to get out there and to do it on his own.”
He went on to say, “He’s done it in such a good way that people are responding to it. I’ve not seen anything negative about it. And I’ve seen everybody fully get behind it. I wanted to see what he’d be like as a frontman, ’cause he’s always been, with us, kind of more of a quiet guy on stage rocking out, but never up on the mic singing (lead). That’s one of the toughest things — when we get back on the road, is getting that frontman jargon down, when you’re talking and you’re communicating with the crowd. That’s not something you can practice at home, and that’s something that he seemed like he stepped right into perfectly well, from the footage that I’ve seen.”
IN OTHER WOLFGANG VAN HALEN NEWS
Never one to back down to an online detractor or ill-advised Van Halen zealot, Wolfgang Van Halen struck back at someone who tweeted: “Wolfie, I like your stuff. I just think the time to honor Dad is now. You’ve already shown you can stand on your own.”
Wolfgang answered: “I honor my dad by existing and doing what I do every day. I’m not f***in’ playing panama for you guys.”
He went on to show the Catch .22 he consistently finds himself in as both Eddie Van Halen‘s son and later-day Van Halen bassist, posting: “Y’all are never gonna f***in stop are ya: ‘Plays in band with Dad/That spoiled brat is just riding his daddy’s coattails/Plays in own band without covering VH/Yo, why isn’t he riding his daddy’s coattails??”
CHECK IT OUT: Tremonti featuring Wolfgang Van Halen on October 12th, 2012 performing “Gone” live in San Antonio: