Wolfgang Van Halen has definitively ruled out any future collaboration with Van Halen alumni Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, stating in a new interview that his focus is solely on his own band, Mammoth.
Speaking on the “Thinking About Guitar” podcast, Wolfgang also reiterated that the much-rumored “kitchen-sink” Van Halen reunion tour was a real concept, one that was ultimately only prevented by his father’s declining health.
When asked about the chances of him one day making an album with Hagar and original Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, Wolfgang was unequivocal.
“Never. It’s not in the cards for me,” Wolfgang stated. “Mammoth is very much where I’m happy. I have nothing but appreciation for Van Halen and its history. But when it comes to Mammoth, that’s all I wanna do.”
During the interview, Wolfgang confirmed that his father, the legendary Eddie Van Halen, had seriously contemplated a massive reunion tour. The plan would have featured Michael Anthony‘s return and vocal contributions from both David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar, with even Gary Cherone being discussed.
Wolfgang revealed that the only reason this historic tour never happened was Eddie Van Halen‘s battle with cancer.
“It was dad’s health,” Wolfgang said. “But that had been always our idea. Dad and I came up with that idea, the kitchen sink tour, when we were in the hospital in 2019. And it just always was working under the assumption that things would get better, and it didn’t. So that’s why.”
The Van Halen camp was famously fractured for over a decade. Anthony was not included in the 2007 reunion with David Lee Roth; Wolfgang instead took over bass duties for the subsequent tours and the 2012 album, A Different Kind Of Truth. Eddie Van Halen passed away in October 2020 at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California.
