Watch Wolfgang Van Halen nail his late father's game-changing guitar showcase, Eruption

By Paul Brannigan
( Classic Rock )
published

To mark the 45th anniversary of Eddie Van Halen recording his solo showcase Eruption, Wolfgang Van Halen has shared his own take on the iconic instrumental

Wolfgang VH recording Eruption
(Image credit: Wolfgang Van Halen Twitter)

From the moment Wolfgang Van Halen launched what is proving to be a much-acclaimed solo career with Mammoth WVH, certain vocal sections of the Van Halen online community have been relentlessly, and rudely, badgering the 31-year-old musician to include one or more Van Halen originals in his live sets to honour his late father Eddie.

Understandably, being on the receiving end of these incessant entitled demands have grown tiresome for the Californian musician, who has patiently explained that in following his own, unique, singular artistic vision he is doing what his father always strived to do, namely to create a distinctive voice of his own, rather than repeating the past.

Last weekend however, appearing onstage at a sold-out Wembley Stadium to pay his respects to late, loved Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, a huge Van Halen fan, Wolfgang teamed up with Dave Grohl, Justin Hawkins and Vandals drummer Josh Freese to joyously smash two Van Halen classics - On Fire and Hot For Teacher - right out of the park. Truthfully, it was special.

And yesterday, September 8, Wolfgang threw out another unexpected curveball, by sharing a cover of his father's signature game-changing, brain-melting guitar showcase, Eruption, recorded during studio sessions for the Mammoth WVH album back in 2015. This, he explained on social media, was his way of marking 45 years since the iconic instrumental was laid to tape at Sunset Sound studio during the sessions for Van Halen's extraordinary 1978 debut album.

Watch the magic unfold below:

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Mammoth WVH will be joining Alter Bridge on a lengthy North American tour in early 2023.

Paul Brannigan
Paul Brannigan
Contributing Editor, Louder

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.