Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
Eddie Van Halen passed away in October 2020, and his son, Wolfgang, recently reflected on their close relationship during an appearance on Billy Corgan’s The Magnificent Others podcast.
More than four years have passed since the loss of legendary Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen, but for his son Wolfgang, the grief remains just as heavy.
During a recent episode of Billy Corgan’s The Magnificent Others podcast, which aired on Feb. 26, Wolfgang—frontman of Mammoth WVH—opened up about the pain of losing his father to cancer in October 2020.
“As we approach the four-year mark since his passing, it hasn’t gotten any easier,” Wolfgang shared in an interview seemingly recorded months earlier. He referenced a quote from Zelda Williams, daughter of the late Robin Williams, saying, “Even a truckload full of roses still weighs a ton.”
When asked by Corgan why the loss remains so difficult, the 33-year-old musician responded, “Because there’s so much I can’t share with him.”
“He never got to witness what happened with Mammoth. He didn’t get to see me get married or be there when I eventually have kids,” Wolfgang shared. “Those are major life moments that will always carry a bit of sadness.”
In October 2023, Wolfgang married his longtime partner, Andraia Allsop, in an intimate ceremony at their Los Angeles home. His band, Mammoth WVH, released its debut album in 2021, followed by a Grammy-nominated song, Distance, in 2022, and a second album in 2023.
Reflecting on his father’s passing, Wolfgang noted that Eddie, who was 65 when he died, had always been one of his biggest supporters. Losing him, he admitted, was a tough emotional hit that deeply affected his confidence.
“In my father’s absence—a loss I still deeply feel—there’s this overwhelming void because his pride in me was so immense,” Wolfgang expressed. “It’s like a black hole. But I have my mother, Valerie Bertinelli, my wife, and others who see past my insecurities and try to lift me up.”
This past January, Wolfgang honored what would have been Eddie’s 70th birthday by sharing a lighthearted Instagram post featuring a backstage photo of his dad playfully picking his nose—a nod to their close bond. Wolfgang, who famously joined Van Halen as a teenager, continues to keep his father’s legacy alive.
