Wolfgang performed with Van Halen for several years, stepping in as bassist in 2006
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Wolfgang Van Halen is speaking out in his defense.
When David Lee Roth, former lead singer of Van Halen, railed against Wolfgang in an intense rant in January, Wolfgang stayed silent. Now, he is sharing his thoughts on the situation, suggesting that Roth is only targeting him because his father, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, is no longer alive.
"I guess I’m honored he even thinks about me as much as he seems to," Wolfgang laughed in an interview on Atlanta radio show "The Morning X."
"I guess you have to take what he says with a grain of salt, considering he also said that he wrote 'Eruption' and came up with the Frankenstein Strat."
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Wolfgang Van Halen, left, spoke out about David Lee Roth's disparaging remarks. (Getty Images)
"Eruption" is an instrumental Val Halen song from their debut album, released in 1978. It is a guitar solo performed by Eddie, who had been playing it in shows for a few years before recording it. The Frankenstein Strat, also known as the Frankenstrat, is a famous guitar that Eddie built using parts from various guitars to produce a unique sound. It was his primary guitar for years.
The radio show's hosts seemed shocked that Roth would claim to have done those things that have long been attributed to Eddie, with one even saying that he seemed "unhinged" in his attack against Wolfgang.
The younger Van Halen responded, "I guess that’s all I can say. I seem to have been born into this Van Halen drama that has come way before me. And I guess now that my dad isn’t here to be a target, I guess he went to the next best thing. It’s… I don’t know."
Wolfgang Van Halen of Mammouth WVH performs at the "Metallica - M72 World Tour" held at SoFi Stadium on Aug. 25, 2023 in Los Angeles. (Michael Buckner/Billboard via Getty Images)
Wolfgang played with Van Halen for years, taking over as the bass player when Michael Anthony stepped away from the band in 2006. He toured with the group and played on their 2012 album, "A Different Kind of Truth." While several changes to the lineup have taken place over the years, the band broke up for good in 2020 when Eddie passed away.
Wolfgang said that there was "no chance" of any kind of reunion, explaining, "I don't want to play that music without my dad."
Wolfgang's position with the band seems to be a sticking point for Roth, who spoke about nepotism in a clip he posted to YouTube in January that he titled "This F---ing Kid."
"This f---ing kid!" he said. "He’s complaining the entire tour like I’m not paying enough attention to him onstage."
Bassist Wolfgang Van Halen, left, and vocalist David Lee Roth of Van Halen perform at Staples Center on June 9, 2012 in Los Angeles. (Chelsea Lauren/WireImage)
"I’m giving him the best, everything I’ve got, in front of 20-30,000 people at a clip, and he’s complaining to everybody around me — the business manager, the security guy, the clothing lady — 'Dave’s not paying enough attention to me.’"
Roth then said that during a show in New York City, Wolfgang had "these two great dames that I invited to be my guests to the show" thrown out.
"This f---ing kid, what he doesn’t know is that these two dames work for the accounting firm that represent him, not me," the 69-year-old said. "But as usual, he, just like his uncle and his uncle’s brother, stiffed them for tickets."
"He’s teaching me a lesson," Roth added. "What this f---ing kid doesn’t know? They’re carrying the paychecks for all 82 people on the road crew."
David Lee Roth, left, and Wolfgang Van Halen of Van Halen perform at their dress rehearsal for family and friends at the Forum on Feb. 8, 2012 in Inglewood, California. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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Roth said a similar issue occurred during a performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, in what he says was his last show with Eddie.
"We’re playing the Hollywood Bowl, we’re playing the last two shows of the tour, and Ed’s not having a good day this year, so I know … I always gotta play it like: What if this is the last show I have with the brothers?" Roth said. "This is important to me, we’re celebrating 50th anniversary from when we first started arguing over which song was first."
He continued, "We’re at the Hollywood Bowl, I’m about to launch into ‘Ice Cream Man,’ and this f---ing kid. He commandeers two muscle monkeys, locates the one dame that is my guest. She’s off in the wings of the Hollywood Bowl. They find her, make her do the walk of shame past all the other guests and out into the parking lot and throw her out of the building.
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David Lee Roth, pictured here, claimed nepotism played a role in Wolfgang Van Halen's placement in the band. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
"Wolfie Van Halen’s going to teach me a lesson by throwing out what he thinks is my girlfriend. But guess what? Not only is this an accountant again, and not only is she carrying the paychecks for 82 of us on the road crew, but she’s carrying cash bonuses for everybody there."
He noted it was the same woman from the New York show, and added, "[A]nd that’s how I remember my last show with Eddie Van Halen."
A representative for Roth did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Stanton contributed to this report.
Emily Trainham is an entertainment editor for Fox News Digital.
