Wolfgang Van Halen's debut album, the self-titled set billed to his band Mammoth WVH, is receiving great notices by critics and fans, alike. Mammoth WVH will serve as the opening act for Guns N' Roses on their summer tour, which kicks off on July 31st in Hershey, Pennsylvania at Hersheypark Stadium and winds down over two nights — October 2nd and 3rd — at Hollywood, Florida's Hard Rock Live Arena.
He touched about how he and the band are gearing up for the trek and spoke candidly to The Washington Post about the band's first shows in massive stadiums: “All of me is nervous, not a part of me. It's a ridiculous amount of just little things just in my head. Like, we'll be driving around, and I'll be like in my head going like, 'Wow! What if I forget lyrics or something?' Just like little things like that, and it's just more things to worry about.”
He went on to say, “So, yeah, I'm very excited to rehearse for the next four-and-a-half weeks with the guys so I can just nail it into my bones and get ready for it because I need the practice.”
The rock community has watched how Internet trolls have clobbered Wolfgang on his social media platforms, slamming him not only for replacing Michael Anthony in Van Halen, but over his appearance, the quality of his music — and even accusing him of exploiting his relationship with his father, the late, great Eddie Van Halen.
We asked Wolfgang if he ever had to deal with bullying as a kid: “I've never really been in one of those situations, but I have, like, defended a few friends from bullies and stuff, growing up in school. But just try to keep your head up, 'cause it will eventually get better. I mean, going through high school, I was never really one of the popular kids or anything, and things always work out in good time.”