WOLFGANG VAN HALEN says telling his story on 'Behind The Music' was incredibly cathartic
03-05-2024
Wolfgang Van Halen is featured in a new episode of the groundbreaking docuseries “Behind The Music”. In addition to the 33-year-old MAMMOTH WVH frontman, the new episodes profile Bell Biv DeVoe and Trace Adkins and remastered episodes feature 50 Cent, Bobby Brown, Ice-T, MILLI VANILLI, The Notorious B.I.G. and Sinead O’Connor.
On Thursday, May 2, Wolfgang took to his social media to share a trailer for his “Behind The Music” episode, and he wrote in an accompanying message: “I had the honor of being asked to tell my story on Behind The Music. It was difficult, but also incredibly cathartic being able to reflect on my experiences, the incredible people I’m blessed to have in my life and most importantly, my bond with my father. I don’t normally talk so openly about things, so this was new for me.
“Thank you to Alex Castino for making the process as easy and as comfortable as possible and thank you to Behind The Music and @paramountplus for deciding that my story is worth telling.
“It’s available to watch now on @paramountplus . Season 2, Episode 3.
“Thank you”.
I had the honor of being asked to tell my story on Behind The Music. It was difficult, but also incredibly cathartic being able to reflect on my experiences, the incredible people I’m blessed to have in my life and most importantly, my bond with my father. I don’t normally talk… pic.twitter.com/bRClierLkp
— Wolf Van Halen (@WolfVanHalen) May 2, 2024
Official description for the Van Halen episode: “Wolfgang Van Halen reveals his story that’s wrought with trauma, perseverance and immense talent. Born to guitar god Eddie Van Halen and actress Valerie Bertinelli, Wolfgang instantly became bound to music. As he developed his own sound, Wolfgang turned to his solo project, MAMMOTH WVH, before tragedy struck. Eddie‘s death rocked his son’s world, but Wolfgang solidified his music career with a sound all of his own while continuing to honor his father’s legacy.”
After watching Wolfgang‘s “Behind The Music” episode, Bertinelli took to her social media to share a video message in which she said: “I was finally able to watch Wolfie‘s ‘Behind The Music’. It was not easy. I’d stopped it many times ’cause it was just too brutal to watch for many reasons. One, seeing Wolfie‘s pain. Two, seeing what a better job I could have done as a parent. Even though he turned out magnificently, I made a lot of mistakes. And three, seeing what I had turned of Ed‘s and my relationship into some sort of fantasy-soulmate recreation of history. I fell in love with him when I was 20, and it rapidly declined into drugs and alcohol and infidelity. Nothing that makes you feel loved and wanted and cared for. Nothing that would scream ‘soulmate,’ that’s for sure. And after Ed died, I was more than willing to put myself in the ‘grieving widow’ category for a man that I hadn’t lived with for 20 years. What we had together was this beautiful son that we both unconditionally loved. That’s what I got out of that marriage. It was Wolfie. The best thing that ever happened to me. Not a soulmate.”
“Behind The Music” is executive produced by Bruce Gillmer and Michael Maniaci for MTV Entertainment Studios. Mark Ford and Alex Castino executive produce for Creature Films alongside Tara Long for Entertainment One.
Eddie died in October 2020 following a years-long battle with throat cancer. He was 65.
Wolfgang played bass for VAN HALEN from 2006 to 2020.
In November 2020, one month after his father’s passing, Wolfgang announced the launch of his own band called MAMMOTH WVH.
“Mammoth II”, the second album from MAMMOTH WVH, was released last August via BMG. The 10-track LP was recorded at the legendary 5150 studio and was produced by Wolfgang‘s friend and collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette.
Wolfgang, who played all the instruments on MAMMOTH WVH‘s first two albums, told the 102.9 The Hog radio station that he picked up guitar when he was just 12 years old, “because I wanted to learn how to play ‘316’, the song my father wrote for me, at a talent show at my school. I think it was sixth grade.”
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