For Wolfgang Van Halen, the journey to artistic autonomy has been a steep climb up a mountain cast by one of the largest shadows in music history. Yet, as 2025 draws to a close, the Mammoth frontman is finally feeling the sun on his face. In a revealing new interview with Matilda Svensson of Chile’s “Radio Futuro,” the multi-instrumentalist opened up about the gratification of finally being recognized for his own craft rather than his last name.
Wolfgang, the son of the late, legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen, has steadfastly refused to use his lineage as a crutch. It is a principled stance that has defined his career since launching his solo project, and one that he believes is finally paying dividends.
“It’s pretty great. I’m very lucky and happy that people are beginning to take me seriously as my own artist and separate me from my family history,” Wolfgang told the station (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “‘Cause at the end of the day, that’s all I would really like to do, is be taken at face value for what I represent and not for what my family represents.”
This desire for separation manifests most clearly in his live setlists. While many in his position might be tempted to sprinkle in a few guaranteed crowd-pleasers from the Van Halen catalog, Wolfgang has remained adamant about keeping Mammoth shows strictly about Mammoth music.
“I think that’s why I’m trying to do something different. I don’t play Van Halen music at my shows,” he explained. “I would rather fail on my own than succeed by playing Van Halen music. So I think it just shows the work that I’ve been putting in and people beginning to see the person I am on my own. So I’m very grateful.”
Despite the deliberate distance he keeps from his father’s discography, Wolfgang acknowledged that his musical DNA is undeniably linked to Eddie. When asked about their similarities as creators, he pointed not to their shredding ability, but to their shared foundation behind the kit.
“I mean, just being related and just being around him my whole life, we both started on the drums, so I think that’s a really great sort of rhythmic background to the foundation of being a musician,” Wolfgang noted. “And so I think we both attack guitar playing from a rhythmic perspective. And so I think that’s a really great thing that my dad and I have in common. And I’m very happy to have that in common with him.”
The conversation also shifted to the current state of rock, specifically the rising prominence of female musicians in major bands. Wolfgang dismissed any lingering gender bias in the genre as an “archaic mindset,” championing the likes of Linkin Park‘s Emily Armstrong and his close friend Lzzy Hale of Halestorm.
He reserved special praise for drummer Anika Nilles, who has stepped into the impossible role of drumming for Rush.
“The drummer that they’ve got for Rush [Anika Nilles] is incredible. I can’t wait to see what the shows are gonna be like,” he enthused. “I remember I watched some of her videos on Drumeo, on the YouTube channel, and she’s just absolutely insane. No wonder they picked her… Women can do anything and be better than any man.”
