“I really don’t appreciate when artists pass and you see their families release everything”: WVH on why he won’t put out unreleased Van Halen songs
“He released what he thought was worthy,” says Wolfgang of his father Eddie Van Halen.
Image: Scott Legato / Getty
Wolfgang Van Halen has explained why he doesn’t want to put out any unreleased Van Halen material following his father’s passing.
Eddie Van Halen sadly passed away in 2020, and Wolfgang has shared that his father put out everything he thought was worthy, hence why any demos or unheard tracks will more than likely remain that way.
Wolfie’s own band, Mammoth WVH, recently put out their second studio album, Mammoth II. Surrounding its release, the rocker has reflected a lot on his father’s legacy and career in recent months, after using some of his famous guitars to record the album.
Speaking to Brave Words, he explains: “I think what was released is what was released. And even in my dad’s own words, when he talked about it, he’s like, ‘I released all the good stuff.’
“The stuff that’s there is the stuff that fell by the wayside, which, sure, people would probably find worth in it,” he says. “But without dad here, it feels unfair to make that assumption that anything should be… like that’s a decision that can’t be taken lightly.”
The guitarist also shares that if he absolutely had to put one of his father’s tracks out there, it would be a very tough call.
“I think that’s up to AI at this point?” he states. “If it ever came down to me, yeah, that would be a tough decision to make. Because in dad’s own words, you know, he released what he thought was worthy. I really don’t appreciate when you see certain artists pass and you see their families go through and just kind of release everything. It’s like, that’s not right, to me.”
For the latest Mammoth WVH news, visit the band’s website.