“I had to keep Dad in check whenever he made a mistake”: Wolfgang Van Halen on his early gigs with Van Halen – and keeping Eddie in line

Wolfgang Van Halen’s first gig was playing bass alongside his father in one of the world’s biggest rock bands – but his duties in Van Halen went far beyond laying down the low-end.

When Wolfgang was sworn into the band in 2006, replacing golden-era bassist Michael Anthony, Van Halen were teetering on the edge. Wolfgang’s inclusion pulled them back, facilitating a hotly anticipated second reunion with David Lee Roth.

Naturally, as Eddie Van Halen’s son, he was well accustomed to their music, but the gig wasn’t without its challenges.

“I think it was mainly a matter of delving into the feel,” he says of the gig in the latest issue of Guitarist. “The big hits were about the groove and locking in with my uncle [Alex Van Halen on drums]. Me being a drummer first helped because I could understand what was needed.”

Wolfgang, who writes and plays all instruments in his band, Mammoth, has often alluded to how his drum-first sensibilities have shaped his musicality. But for this early gig, once his foot was in the door, he had to do more than just play well. He had to keep Eddie in line – and help shape the setlist.

“I also had to keep Dad in check whenever he made a mistake,” he reveals. “On the last tour in 2015, I really tried to get the guys to play every single B-side we possibly could, stuff like Dirty Movies, which is a really unique song.

“Michael Anthony [bass] was doing these interesting harmonics for that intro. Stuff like that was really experimental, and I don't think he gets enough credit for what he did. His contributions to that track in particular were quite out there for a person who is usually holding down the groove.

“Dirty Movies was one of those tracks where I had to really remember how it was played on the record and check myself every time to ensure I didn't mess it up.”

Van Halen- Dirty Movies Red Rocks 2015 - YouTube

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Last month, Mammoth released their third album, The End, and Wolfgang revealed that a grunge classic inspired one of its guitar solos. He's also recently discussed his two distinct approaches to tapping and what he feels sets his favorite modern metal guitarist apart from his peers.

Pick up a copy of Guitarist from Magazines Direct to read Wolfgang’s new interview in full. The issue also features an in-depth look at the guitar mastery of T-Bone Walker and a fresh chat with blues great Joanne Shaw Taylor.