This article includes mentions of addiction.
He’s a multi-instrumentalist, Grammy-nominated artist, and everything you hear on his albums he did himself.
The only time he plays with a band is when he takes to the stage as Mammoth WVH.
“This is just something for me.
It’s a sacred experience for me.
“[My dad is] the reason why I do what I do.
I wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for him.”
It’s thought Eddie’s traumatic past is what led to his problems with addiction.
When Wolfgang was around 13 years old, his father was battling alcoholism.
Soon, he started drinking again.
“It was like there was nothing there,” he recalled.
“It’s like the pupils were black and there was nothing behind it.
And that’s where it got really scary.”
“Part of addiction was coping with that loss.
Yeah, it was a dark time.”
Wolfgang Van Halen continued to spend time with his father after the divorce.
“Mom got a place, dad had his place.
That only made dad worse,” Wolfgang said.
“With me being involved in the first place, it was more for his comfort and his stability.
Wolfgang replaced Eddie’s former bandmate Michael Anthony on the tour, which left many old-time fans very unhappy.
“I understand that.
It’s not easy to be the second guy,” Wolfgang admitted on “Behind the Music.”
“But that wasn’t my decision.
It wasn’t my problem.
My problem was making sure my dad was alive.”
This was largely thanks to his father’s addiction and feeling like he was responsible for keeping him sober.
“I had to mature very quickly to get to handle everything,” he toldRolling Stone.
“As time went on, sh*t kept stacking up and stacking up.
It was hard to sing it and play it through,” Wolfgang admitted.
Wolfgang eventually put his career on hold to take care of his father.
Wolfgang Van Halen spoke candidly about his father’s last days on “Behind the Music.”
He stubbornly kept hoping that his father would recover, despite the odds being stacked against him.
“Sometimes it was really good.
“I hung up and I ran,” Wolfgang recalled.
“I held my dad’s hand.
I held it up to my face … until … he left.
Just felt the warmth of his hand on my face until I couldn’t feel him anymore.”
In the aftermath of his father’s death, Wolfgang continued to keep Eddie’s legacy alive.
While attending the 2022 Grammy Awards, he toldPeoplethat he still makes music for his dad.
Wolfgang was understandably upset.
The last thing he wanted was for his father’s death to be announced by the likes of TMZ.
“Hitting post [on Instagram] was one of the most painful things.
It made it real.”
Wolfgang kept the announcement short, telling the world that Eddie had finally lost his cancer battle.
“He was the best father I could ever ask for.
Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift,” hetweeted.
“My heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss.
I love you so much, Pop.”
He had a fairly happy childhood, but everyone knew who his parents were, and that unnerved him.
“I think just existing, you know?
“I think people can have unfair expectations about someone that comes from someone that they’ve seen before.
I’m just trying to do my own thing and have a good time doing it.”
“This is getting ridiculous,” the person wrote.
“I know for a fact that Wolfgang Van Halen died as a toddler.
But now they are showing him as grown and alive.”
They went on to claim that Wolfgang fell to his death from a balcony.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available.
Visit theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration websiteor contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
