Topics › All Forums › General › Wolfgang Van Halen News › Wolfgang Van Halen On His Stunning Debut Album, Guns 'N' Roses, Tool And More
| June 14, 2021 at 12:51 pm Quote #64224 | |
 ron (11778) | Jun 14, 2021,09:00am EDT When I talked to Wolfgang Van Halen just a few months ago upon the release of his moving, chart-topping debut single, “Distance,” of course his father, Eddie Van Halen, came up often. This time, as we discuss the release of his stunning debut album, Mammoth WVH, released under the band moniker of the same name, the focus is much more musical, from influences like Jimmy Eat World and Tool’s Maynard James Keenan, to his upcoming slot opening for Guns ‘N’ Roses on their stadium tour. But of course his father and family legacy is there in everything he does. As he says music was almost predetermined for him. “Just being who I am and being the son of who I am. The expectations are there already before I even have a chance to decide. And it just kind of snowballed into this direction I guess,” he says. The reality is, just as it is speaking with Julian and Sean Lennon, Jakob Dylan or any of the Marley kids, when your last name is true music legend, there will always be expectations and countless preconceived notions, both good and bad, by those who have revered your family’s music. Recording as Mammoth WVH, Wolfgang Van Halen isn’t trying to be anybody but himself. He has his own influences, his own style, his own approach to songwriting, and his own voice. And all of those come out on this powerful debut, which culminates with the epic “Stone,” the heaviest song on the album. It is a very impressive debut, from a very impressive person who has gone through too much in the public eye, and is proudly himself. Talking about all the tragedy of the last year he says, “I’m still the same person. Just been bumped and bruised throughout time, but it makes you stronger.” Steve Baltin: It feels almost weird to be able to discuss finally not only being onstage for you, but onstage in front of 40, 50, 60,000 people. Wolfgang Van Halen: (Laughs) Yeah, it’s crazy. I don’t think it would feel real to me if this whole COVID thing had not even happened. It’s already not feeling real, but then the fact that everything is slowly returning is crazy. Baltin: This is the debut album you’ll be playing to 50,000 people. But even more unusual is though this is the debut album that is not new to you. So for a lot of people it might be overwhelming, but is it easier having done it before? Van Halen: It’s still overwhelming. I think if you get used to that you’re an a**hole. It’s a whole day thing, I feel brand new. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever done before, so it feels brand new. Baltin: Do you know the GNR guys at all? Van Halen: I’ve known Slash for years and I’ve met Duff [McKagan] a couple of times. They’re great. It just came up quickly, they all were really interested after they heard the music and it just kind of worked out perfectly with our album just coming out. They were going out. [And] it all just kind of worked like a dream. Baltin: Are there songs from the album you are particularly excited to do live? Van Halen: For sure. I think songs like “Feel” will be really fun live cause there’s an opportunity to mess around more in the bridge and stuff. But then to even just play songs people haven’t heard yet. They will when the album comes out, but stuff like “Stone” I think would be a fun thing to try live, it’s a bit longer. I’m just excited in general. Baltin: This record has been done for some time. So with all the emotional upheaval you’ve had since finishing the record does it change for you at all? Van Halen: They haven’t changed a crazy amount. We’ve released six songs already and I think when the songs are released I hear them differently. It’s almost like my brain kind of recalibrates and I hear it how people hear it for the first time and what they might focus on. And I start to be overly critical, like I always am. Baltin: The most recent release was “Mammoth.” Let’s take that as an example. How did that change for you? Van Halen: It was one where the lyrics were very important to me and to see it resonate with a bunch of people in ways I didn’t even expect was really nice to see. People kind of get my messaging and understand what I’m about with my music. It’s really cool. Baltin: Have there been interpretations of “Mammoth” or other songs that have stood out to you? Van Halen: Yeah, even just showing friends stuff or I remember I showed my mom (Valerie Bertinelli) one of the songs, it’s not even on the album. But she’s like, “Oh, that’s so sweet.” I’m like, “What are you talking about?” And she just completely misunderstood the lyrics and I had to explain it to her (laughs). But that’s the fun of it. I write my lyrics in a way I think anybody can insert themselves into it and take their own meaning from it, even if they do come from a very personal place for me. Cause I just think it’s more open-ended that way. Baltin: That’s what makes great songwriting, is making songs universal. So who are those songwriters who best did that for you? Van Halen: I think a band like that that was really important to me was Jimmy Eat World. They write a lot of music that just spoke to me in important times in my life. Yet I know they have to come from a personal place. That was definitely an inspiration. I just always appreciated songwriting like that. I tend to shy more away when a song is like directly about something rather than kind of open for you to insert yourself into it. Baltin: Because good writing is usually subconscious and then you go back and look at it are there things in these songs that surprise you? Van Halen: Oh yeah, that’s happened plenty of times. There are certain lines where it’s like, “That’s pretty good.” Then I’m like, “Wait, I wrote that. I really wrote that?” There are certain moments lime that where it’s like, “Wow, what I was thinking? I need to think like that more.” Baltin: So what are your favorite lyrical stanzas on this record? Van Halen: I really like the lyrics in “The Big Picture,” proud of those lyrics. Same with “Mammoth” as well. My main thing when it came to writing lyrics was I wanted to be able to be proud of all of it and like cringe or something . And I succeeded in that at least at least personally. I’m comfortable and proud of all my lyrics. Baltin: Are there things lyrically or sonically from this record that have become the building blocks of future music? Van Halen: Yeah, I think I’ve just kind of locked into my comfort zone of how I write music. Usually it just kind of starts with something on guitar and I put it into Logic and I just slowly start building on that. But usually it just originates with something as simple as a little riff. And if it creatively inspires it just kind of snowballs. Baltin: One of the things I like about the record is it builds up into this heavier sound culminating with “Stone.” Was that the idea? Van Halen: Yeah, “Stone” was certainly this kind of epic finale cause it’s the longest song. It’s like six and a half minutes and it certainly was from the start, as it was happening it just seemed more and more like the right thing to do to put it at the end of the album. The sequencing just flowed right. Baltin: What was your first experience seeing GNR? Van Halen: I have not seen them, I’ve only seen Slash solo live maybe two or three times. I’m really excited as a fan to be able to see it. Baltin: So as a fan what would be the one or two GNR songs you’d want to play on with them? Van Halen: Oh, man. If they asked it wouldn’t matter what song. Anything from Appetite [For Destruction] I guess, I don’t know. Baltin: Does the thought of coming back to the stage and playing for all those fans become a cathartic release? Van Halen: Yeah, it’s a whole bunch of different emotions all at once. And I’m not even sure how I’ll react. Just from the amount of time I’ve worked on this, to have it be coming soon and just to be on the other side of everything. There are just so many different things I honestly don’t know how I’ll react. It’s just a big ball of emotions. Baltin: As you think about being the frontman are there ones you have seen over the years that have most inspired you? Van Halen: I’m hoping to just kind of find my own space throughout cause you can’t really figure out who you are until you do it. But it’s funny, when it comes to just singing in general I’m a big fan of many different singers. But I’ve been singing my whole life. So I don’t really try to emulate. I guess I’m just hoping I’ll figure out how to do it once I start doing it. Baltin: It’s not as much as emulating or just being inspired by or someone you really enjoyed watching. Van Halen: Yeah, I guess I’m a big fan of Maynard from Tool, I like his style a lot. He’s just fun to watch live. Baltin: Is there a favorite show you have ever seen? Van Halen: The Tool show I went to at the end of 2019 was a really special one. I really enjoyed that one. Baltin: When you think back to that Tool show now being the frontman what would be the one or two coolest things you could hear someone say about seeing your show? Van Halen: Just that they enjoyed it (laughs). I’m not picky. If they’re happy and they enjoy it that’s all you can really ask for. Baltin: When you go back and listen to this record as a complete work what do you take from it? Van Halen: I’ve never been this proud of anything in my life. I’ve never worked harder on anything in my life and I’m very proud I was able to pull this off and make a cohesive thing playing it all on my own. Baltin: Do you hear a through line in this record? Van Halen: Yeah, there are certainly moments. That was what was so helpul about having my producer, Elvis Baskette. He kind of helped me because like you said when you’re doing it you can’t really see the forest from the trees. But having him there really helped me make sure I was going in the right direction. Yeah, I could definitely hear that thought process throughout the record. It’s just really me wanting to be myself is the main thing. ronQuote |
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