Wolfgang Van Halen is carving his own path, yet he finds inspiration in the footsteps of Dave Grohl. In a recent conversation with Chris Difford for his podcast, “I Never Thought It Would Happen,” Wolfgang expressed his desire to collaborate with Myles Kennedy while acknowledging his admiration for Grohl.
“I’m basically following his lead with Mammoth and the way he started with Foo Fighters, recording everything himself. Mammoth exists because of him.”
Notably, fans had already drawn parallels between Wolfgang’s work and Grohl’s early endeavors. When Wolfgang released the single “Don’t Back Down” from the first Mammoth WVH album in 2021, one fan remarked on the similarity to Foo Fighters. Wolfgang responded with gratitude, acknowledging the comparison.
Indeed, Wolfgang holds Grohl in high regard, dubbing him his rock god. In a conversation with the BBC’s The Rock Show With Johnnie Walker last year, Wolfgang expressed his deep admiration for Grohl’s musical journey:
“I’ve chosen Dave Grohl because he just inspires me infinitely – in songwriting and capability as a musician. I really admire how he came from Nirvana, and then after that sadly ended, how he was able to build his own thing with Foo Fighters.”
Their mutual respect culminated in a joint performance at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert in 2022, where Wolfgang and Grohl shared the stage, delivering electrifying renditions of Van Halen classics.
Wolfgang’s journey reflects a blend of admiration for his musical influences and a determination to forge his own path, echoing Grohl’s transformative impact on the music industry.