Wolfgang strikes

[nomadh]

Tons of talent here. I like the song and he does all the instruments, wow.
https://101kgb.iheart.com/featured/dsc/ ... 1_readmore
Still even as a musician and being impressed my main question is how did the cutest couple I know of end up with a kid so ordinary looking?
Ehh, admit it you were thinking it too.

[toomanycats]

Okay, it's well known around here that I love Van Halen. But I do not like this tune, not the style, or the production, nothing about it. It sounds like a mix between Nickeback, Foo Fighters, and Metallica during that craptastic phase they went through . . . what was it . . . Load? Yuck.

There's no guitar solo on this tune. He's not as good a guitarist as Ed or as good a drummer as Alex; he doesn't play bass on the level of a Billy Sheehan; he doesn't write songs as good as Sammy; and certainly doesn't have the front man charisma and swagger of a Roth. I don't get the hype about him. In fact, I find the constant churning media publicity machine that pushes Wolfie in my face obnoxious. It seems like half the stories on Blabbermouth at any given time are promoting him. Who is this kid's PR team anyways?

Anyways, this is all my opinion of course. I probably sound like a grumpy old guy, which I'm beginning to accept I'm half way to at this point. If other people enjoy this music, I'm happy.

[slowhand84]

Okay, it's well known around here that I love Van Halen. But I do not like this tune, not the style, or the production, nothing about it. It sounds like a mix between Nickeback, Foo Fighters, and Metallica during that craptastic phase they went through . . . what was it . . . Load? Yuck.

There's no guitar solo on this tune. He's not as good a guitarist as Ed or as good a drummer as Alex; he doesn't play bass on the level of a Billy Sheehan; he doesn't write songs as good as Sammy; and certainly doesn't have the front man charisma and swagger of a Roth. I don't get the hype about him. In fact, I find the constant churning media publicity machine that pushes Wolfie in my face obnoxious. It seems like half the stories on Blabbermouth at any given time are promoting him. Who is this kid's PR team anyways?

Anyways, this is all my opinion of course. I probably sound like a grumpy old guy, which I'm beginning to accept I'm half way to at this point. If other people enjoy this music, I'm happy.

Yeah I mean, I'm not in love with this music either (to me it's just "OK") but it's cool that he's doing all the instruments and putting out music. Not really a fair comparison to compare him to people like EVH and Billy Sheehan who are two of the best to pick up their respective instruments of all time. It is pretty indisputable that he wouldn't get 1/100th of the press he gets if he weren't Eddie's son though. Blabbermouth is a tabloid so they'll print whatever gets people to their site, riled up, and clicking on ads.

[Milkman]

I think it's alright. I don't really draw any connection to Van Halen (the band). It's a completely different deal, so that's how I approached it.

We'll see where he takes it. He could develop into a pretty good songwriter/performer, or he could continue to wallow in above average mediocrity... time will tell.

[ID10t]

I am shocked that I kinda really liked it. I listen to everything, blah, blah, but I just didn't think I would like it. I questionably see Wolfie kinda like a Kardasian, just anti-care about it.
But if I flip my mind a little, I have compassion for his journey.
If his dad was a blacksmith and made great armor and his son wanted to follow in his dads footsteps, people would expect him to be a blacksmith, not a great blacksmith. And all of us want our kids to have a easier journey than we did, and then we resent everyone who had an easier journey than us. Broad statements here, pointing a finger at quite a few of the human example, I know.

Now how often do we see less than attractive people have beautiful kids? Well the universe demands compensation for that and so you have the occasional Wolfe.

[BatUtilityBelt]

I agree with both sides. He seriously pales in comparison to his dad and uncle. But that is the case for every offspring of a self-made major talent I can think of. You'd think it should be easy to learn from, then build on your parent's work, but Mozart is the only kid I can think of who actually accomplished that and exceeded his father's abilities. I imagine it is privilege that keeps that from happening most of the time.

[Mossman]

Eh... it wasn't bad. It didn't blow my mind, but it didn't suck, either. It's competent, but that's about it. I won't be thinking about this song 30 minutes from now.

[nomadh]

If traits did follow lineage so well then royalty would actually be a good idea. It's just an early ver of identity politics and as bad an idea as we keep proving it something inside us just keeps pushing for it.

[Chocol8]

my main question is how did the cutest couple I know of end up with a kid so ordinary looking?
Ehh, admit it you were thinking it too.

Too much food.

[Rollin Hand]

I like it. Most of his stuff is very "90s" thus far, which fits with what he grew up listening to - a lot of kids thatnliked 80s rock ended up sounding like this.

Expecting him to be his dad or at his dad's level, or comparing him to Billy Sheehan or Al is unfair on a couple of levels. I speak from seeing him with the family band that he is a pro-level bassist (even doing a tapping run with his dad on "Chinatown"), and I have seen videos that indicate he is a very good drummer.

The kid wrote and perfomed an album himself. And it isn't half bad. Give the guy some credit.

[SamIV]

If he wasn’t Ed’s kid, would any of you feel different? Just sayin’.

[Mossman]

If he wasn’t Ed’s kid, would any of you feel different? Just sayin’.

Nope... I'd have said the same thing if it were my neighbor's kid. It's good... Not great. I don't have any expectations of famous musicians' kids. In fact, I would have been disappointed if he did sound like his dad, or Van Halen in general. That's why I never liked Julian Lennon. I always thought he went out of his way to sound "Beatlesque" (and then would get upset when people called it that).

[Chocol8]

If he wasn’t Ed’s kid, would any of you feel different? Just sayin’.

Nope, I would still feel like he has eaten too much food.

[BatUtilityBelt]

If he wasn’t Ed’s kid, would any of you feel different? Just sayin’.

If he wasn't Ed's kid, I'm thoroughly convinced I would never have heard of him.

[uwmcscott]

I like it, catchy tune and some nice riffs. Kids legends are kind of doomed from the get go as they are always compared to their namesake. Jason Bonham, Zak Starkey, Jacob Dylan, lots of them out there that are good in their own right but doomed by the greatness

[tlarson58]

Loved it.

[Rollin Hand]

If he wasn’t Ed’s kid, would any of you feel different? Just sayin’.

Nope... I'd have said the same thing if it were my neighbor's kid. It's good... Not great. I don't have any expectations of famous musicians' kids. In fact, I would have been disappointed if he did sound like his dad, or Van Halen in general. That's why I never liked Julian Lennon. I always thought he went out of his way to sound "Beatlesque" (and then would get upset when people called it that).

And all of a sudden this runs through my head....



The thing is, people expect that he will be a) as good as his dad on guitar; b) better than his dad on guitar; or c) will sound just like his dad. None of these are possible. Different times, different influences, different tastes. And if he ever gets to tour, people will want to hear him do "Ain't Talkin' Bout Love."

The whole "get Mike back on bass and put Wolf on guitar and tour as Van Halen" thing was just insulting to me. One, it implies Ed was replaceable, and two, it says that Wolf has nothing of his own to say.

He has a massive advantage for someone who wants to do music as a career in that he has the immediate exposure of his last name and the financial wherewithal to do it -- heck he even had free access to a studio. Does that make it wrong? Heck no.

Judge him on his merits and the output. For a first kick at the can, he is pretty darned good. And he is playing guitar rock in this day and age, which is to be lauded. He isn't his dad, and neither does he seem to want to be (note that he plays no Wolfgangs in his videos).

And all of the fat shaming in this thread is just mean.

[solteroblues]

i too thought it was really lacking in the solo department, but I really enjoyed the riffs. Is it one of my top songs? No. Would I listen again and check out more? Yeah, probably.

[Razzle]

I liked the song alot, gotta have a good vibe, and it does!

[redman]

I thought he did okay would I listen to it again probably not but at least he's giving it ago and really I don't think this thread would exist if he wasn't a product of the Van Halen gene pool so it is what it is. Anyway whatever his PR machine his video is being discussed on a guitar forum on a Saturday evening.

As far as being over fed maybe yes maybe no could be a situation like mine I woke up June 29th 2014 walking upright at about 215 pounds next thing I remember it was 7 weeks later I was in a hospital bed then into a wheelchair taking steroids everyday since but unable to exercise or even walk more than a few steps at a time so fast forward 7 years and the results I'm siting in my wheelchair typing this at a whopping 287 pounds. Just saying maybe too much grub or maybe not.