Wolfgang Van Halen
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang William Van Halen (born March 16, 1991), is an American
musician. He is the current bassist for Van Halen
, replacing Michael Anthony in 2006.
, he is the son of Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen
and actress Valerie Bertinelli
, and the nephew of Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen
.
Following the completion of the 2007/2008 Van Halen tour Wolfgang headed back to school hoping to graduate in the summer of 2009. Wolfgang appears as the bassist for Van Halen on Guitar Hero: Van Halen
.
had an impact, albeit an indirect one, on his father's career from the very beginning of his life. The instrumental "316" was named in his honor, after Wolfgang's birthday. For a 13-year period ending in 2004, Eddie Van Halen collaborated with Peavey on a line of guitars, the Wolfgang series, named after his son. In 2008, his father named a custom guitar after him, the Fender EVH Wolfgang. Eddie stated that Wolfgang is new to the bass guitar.
Wolfgang later began actively participating in the band. He also made guest appearances during some dates of Van Halen's 2004 tour, appearing during his father's extended guitar solo spot and playing "316" with him.
In late 2006, in an interview with Guitar World
, Eddie Van Halen confirmed that Wolfgang would replace Michael Anthony as Van Halen's bassist. Wolfgang first toured with Van Halen in his new capacity in 2007. In August 2010, Van Halen announced that they would reunite for a new album, but with Wolfgang playing bass instead of original bassist Michael Anthony.
Like his father, Wolfgang is a multi-instrumentalist
; in addition to bass, he also plays drums
, guitar
, and keyboard
.
Wolfgang made headlines in early 2008 by appearing on the cover of the April issue of Guitar World with his father, in the magazine's very first father-son issue.
Wolfgang is reportedly working with Van Halen on an album due for release in 2012.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician. He is the current bassist for Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
, replacing Michael Anthony in 2006.
Personal life
Named after the classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
, he is the son of Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen
Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
and actress Valerie Bertinelli
Valerie Bertinelli
Valerie Anne Bertinelli is an American actress, best known for her roles as Barbara Cooper Royer on the television series One Day at a Time , Gloria on the television series Touched by an Angel and Melanie Moretti on the sitcom Hot in Cleveland .- Early years :Bertinelli was born in Wilmington,...
, and the nephew of Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen
Alex Van Halen
Alexander Arthur "Alex" Van Halen is a Dutch-born American musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen. Originally, his brother Eddie had taken lessons for drums, while Alex practiced guitar...
.
Following the completion of the 2007/2008 Van Halen tour Wolfgang headed back to school hoping to graduate in the summer of 2009. Wolfgang appears as the bassist for Van Halen on Guitar Hero: Van Halen
Guitar Hero: Van Halen
Guitar Hero: Van Halen is the third and final band-specific rhythm video game in the Guitar Hero series. As with the previous games Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and Guitar Hero: Metallica, the game features 25 songs from Van Halen along with 19 additional songs from selected artists that have been...
.
Career
WolfgangWolfgang
Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany and Austria. Its earliest known bearer was a tenth century saint. The name is a combination of the Old High German word wulf, meaning "wolf" and gang, meaning "path". Grimm interpreted the name as that of a hero in front of...
had an impact, albeit an indirect one, on his father's career from the very beginning of his life. The instrumental "316" was named in his honor, after Wolfgang's birthday. For a 13-year period ending in 2004, Eddie Van Halen collaborated with Peavey on a line of guitars, the Wolfgang series, named after his son. In 2008, his father named a custom guitar after him, the Fender EVH Wolfgang. Eddie stated that Wolfgang is new to the bass guitar.
Wolfgang later began actively participating in the band. He also made guest appearances during some dates of Van Halen's 2004 tour, appearing during his father's extended guitar solo spot and playing "316" with him.
In late 2006, in an interview with Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
, Eddie Van Halen confirmed that Wolfgang would replace Michael Anthony as Van Halen's bassist. Wolfgang first toured with Van Halen in his new capacity in 2007. In August 2010, Van Halen announced that they would reunite for a new album, but with Wolfgang playing bass instead of original bassist Michael Anthony.
Like his father, Wolfgang is a multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
; in addition to bass, he also plays drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
.
Wolfgang made headlines in early 2008 by appearing on the cover of the April issue of Guitar World with his father, in the magazine's very first father-son issue.
Wolfgang is reportedly working with Van Halen on an album due for release in 2012.