Behind The Music Featuring Wolfgang Van Halen Is A Must See
Wolfgang Van Halen is one of my favorite new artists of the past 20 years. Hands down, Wolf and his Mammoth WVH band are one of the most talented, exciting bands to see live and the songwriting, talent level and ability to move the audience is inspiring and what rock music is all about. Not surprising. It’s in his blood, in his veins, in Wolf’s heart.
It’s Terrie Carr and. let’s rewind to last year, I was told that Paramount Plus was putting together a new “Behind The Music” series, (one of my favorite VH1 activities was watching EVERY Behind The Music btw!) and would I want to offer a line or two as part of the series, being someone who knows how Wolf connects with the fans.
They didn’t have to ask me twice. Much of the series was filmed in Asbury Park before the Mammoth WVH – Stone Pony Summerstage show and it was filmed at the Danny Clinch Gallery- (a phenomenal backdrop for sure) the day I stopped in, Myles Kennedy, Mark Tremonti, and much of Wolf’s inner circle sat down for interviews.
NOW, rewind to my youth, I was and am a Van Halen super fan, with not much memory of the mighty VH NOT being a part of my life. Watching Wolf’s journey from my perspective was very different than what this incredible hour of honesty, authenticity, and raw emotion delivered.
The “Behind The Music/Wolfgang Van Halen” is a journey through a relationship between a father and a son. The father, trying to do better FOR his son, and the son, trying to do for his father. They just happened to be Wolfgang and Edward Van Halen. Hearing Wolf tell HIS story, the way he lived it, with such candor, and emotion, gives me such a new perspective on him as an artist and man. Their bond, their struggles, their triumphs, their failures. It’s all there. Wolf’s story.
ALSO SEE: Wolfgang Van Halen WDHA In Studio Interview with TC! (Wolfgang Wednesday)
Wolfgang’s mom (Mama Wolf) Valerie Bertinelli is a main contributor and tells her story as well, with insightful commentary from Wolf’s wife Andraia, and the famous “Uncle Patrick” Bertinelli, who is a person who is impossible not to love. And of course the incredible Mammoth band.
Also, Wolf addresses the critics (mostly VH fans, not actual critics) who were bent on assumptions and had no problem taking their gripes to social media, he even refers to himself as “hated” at one point, which touches on something that has not only blown my mind, but has shown me that sometimes it’s almost impossible to carve your path when someone close to you is an icon. Wolfgang carved his path, on his own. There is no doubt about that.
There is no sugarcoating here. None. And you don’t necessarily be a fan to be riveted. If you’ve lost someone you loved, if you tried to save someone and couldn’t, and yes, of course, if you are a rock fan.
I was really honored to be a small part of this. Especially being quoted with “Distance” being played, a song that still moves me every time I hear it.
Kudos to Alex and Rebecca and their team at Paramount Plus, who put this together. Truly a “Must Watch”.
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