Wolfgang Van Halen Still Struggling With the Death of Eddie Van Halen: “It’s Not Getting Any Easier”

Growing up with Eddie Van Halen as a father, Wolfgang Van Halen found himself harboring a love for music at an early age. Watching his father rehearse, it was only a matter of time before Wolfgang joined Eddie on stage. And for over a decade, Wolfgang got the chance to share the spotlight with his father and uncle in Van Halen. After his father’s passing in 2020, Wolfgang turned his attention to his own project Mammoth WVH. While still performing and releasing music, Wolfgang admitted that the pain of losing his father never went away. 

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Discussing his father’s legacy in the music industry with Billy Corgan on The Magnificent Others, Wolfgang insisted that he still missed his father. “We’re coming up on the four-year anniversary of his passing and it’s not any easier. And I believe Zelda Williams, Robin’s daughter, said it the best way that I could ever imagine, which is, even a truckload full of roses still weigh a ton.”

With no other option than to move forward, Wolfgang noted how hard it was not to share moments of his life with his dad. “He never got to see what happened with Mammoth. He never got to see me get married.” Wolfgang continued, “He never got to see me have kids eventually. And those are some tentpole moments that will always have a tinge of sadness no matter what.”

[RELATED: Wolfgang Van Halen Gets Candid on David Lee Roth Not Liking Him]

Wolfgang Van Halen Lost His Biggest Fan

After Eddie’s passing, Wolfgang got married to his girlfriend Andraia Allsop and even released his band’s debut album in 2021. Always gaining support from his father, the musician explained how there was a black hole since Eddie’s death. “In the absence of my father, which is a heavy absence that I feel with me to this day, you know, his pride in me was so large that his absence, there’s just this kind of black hole sitting there.” 

While Wolfgang still struggled with the passing of his father, the musician mentioned the love and support his gained from his family. Surrounding himself with strong people, Wolfgang said, “I have my mother [Valerie Bertinelli], I have my wife… there are people that see through my insecurities and try and pull [me out].”

(Photo by Mariano Regidor/Redferns)