Wolfgang Van Halen spoke to Classic Rock magazine and shed light on sone of the music he and his late-dad, the great Eddie Van Halen, particularly loved. Wolfgang recalled, “AC/DC was always the band that dad and I bonded over. Other than Van Halen being the most familiar classic rock-era band, AC/DC is definitely my band.”

After spending a lifetime around rock’s most legendary and prestigious musicians, Wolfgang is able to have a unique take-away about fame: “We’re all the same. I think that’s the big thing. You become so jaded and separated, you listen to this music and you think you know them, and half the time they’re this ‘product’ that just makes a thing for you that you like. But we’re all just people.”

Wolfgang, who played all the instruments on Mammoth WVH‘s self-titled debut, was asked if he had the chance to drum for anybody — “who would it be?”: “I mean, it would never happen, but the idea of drumming for Nine Inch Nails. . .  that’s an awesome position. I think Ilan Rubin, who’s doing it right now, is a phenomenal drummer. So I don’t wanna take his position or anything. The drums are always such an interesting part in the live band of Nine Inch Nails to me. Because it’s not always there on the album.”

He went on to say, “If I jam by myself on drums or something, I always try to challenge myself with crazy stuff, like Periphery or Animals As Leaders, or Tool. I’m not good enough to confidently play that stuff, but to attempt to is a fun exercise.”

  • UPDATED: Mammoth WVH / Dirty Honey 2022 North American tour dates (subject to change):
    January 18 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
    January 20 – Fort Wayne, IN – Piere’s

    January 21 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues  
    January 22 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
    January 24 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone  
    January 25 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
    January 26 – Toronto, OH – The Danforth Music Hall
    January 28 – Portland, ME – State Theatre  
    January 29 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live
    January 30 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
    February 1 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
    February 2 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
    February 4 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live  
    February 5 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
    February 6 –  Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore
    February 8 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
    February 9 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
    February 11 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Orlando
    February 12 – Dothan, AL – The Plant  
    February 15 – San Antonio, TX – The Aztec Theatre
    February 16 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
    February 18 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
    February 20 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
    February 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
    February 22 – Boise, ID – Revolution
    February 24 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
    February 25 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
    March 1 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
    March 2 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
    March 4 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
    March 5 – Indio, CA – Fantasy Casino
    May 18, 19 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome To Rockville 2022 at Daytona International Speedway (Mammoth WVH only – festival date)

FAST FACTS

  • Mammoth WVH‘s debut album hit Number 12 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and went on to hit Number One on Billboard’s Top Rock AlbumsHard Rock Albums, and Independent Albums lists.
  • The set also hit Number Two on Billboard’s Top Album Sales and Current Album Sales charts.

CHECK IT OUT: Eddie & Wolfgang Van Halen live in 2004 performing “316”: