Wolfgang Van Halen Rejected Grammy Offer For Eddie Tribute - Noise11.com
Eddie Van Halen and Wolfgang Van Halen of Van Halen perform on stage during 2013 STONE Music Festival at ANZ Stadium on April 20, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.

Eddie Van Halen and Wolfgang Van Halen of Van Halen perform on stage during 2013 STONE Music Festival at ANZ Stadium on April 20, 2013 in Sydney, Australia. Photo by Ros O'Gorman

Wolfgang Van Halen Rejected Grammy Offer For Eddie Tribute

by Paul Cashmere @paulcashmere on March 17, 2021

in News

Eddie Van Halen’s son Wolfgang Van Halen has turned down the chance to play his dad’s most famous guitar track at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night.

Wolfgang Van Halen was invited to play Eruption as part of the ceremony’s In Memoriam segment but he didn’t think it was appropriate for him to play the guitar great’s rock anthem.

Instead, Eddie, who died in October, was honoured with an archival clip at the 63rd annual Grammys, while John Prine, Little Richard, and Kenny Rogers received full tributes.

On Monday, Wolfgang, who replaced Michael Anthony as Van Halen’s bass player in 2007, issued a statement on Twitter criticising the way his father was saluted at the prizegiving, confirming he turned down the chance to honour him.

“The Grammys asked me to play ‘Eruption’ for the ‘In Memoriam’ section and I declined,” he wrote. “I don’t think anyone could have lived up to what my father did for music but himself.

“It was my understanding that there would be an ‘In Memoriam’ section where bits of songs were performed for legendary artists that had passed,” Wolfgang noted. “I didn’t realize that they would only show Pop for 15 seconds in the middle of 4 full performances for others we had lost.”

He continued: “What hurt the most was that he wasn’t even mentioned when they talked about artists we lost in the beginning of the show.”

Confessing that he is aware that rock “isn’t the most popular genre right now”, Wolfgang remarked: “I think it’s impossible to ignore the legacy my father left on the instrument, the world of rock, and music in general. There will never be another innovator like him.

“I’m not looking to start some kind of hate parade here, I just wanted to explain my side. I know Pop would probably just laugh it off and say, ‘Ehh who gives a s**t?’ He was only about the music anyway. The rest didn’t matter.”

Wolfgang hopes the backlash linked to his father’s Grammys tribute will open lines of communication between himself and Grammy bosses about the future of rock music.

music-news.com

Noise11.com

Follow Noise11 on Social Media

NEW: Noise11 on YouTube SUBSCRIBE

Noise11 on Instagram

You’ll discover music news first following Noise11 on Twitter

Comment on the news of the day, join Noise11 on Facebook

Related Posts

Jeff Lynne photo from Jefflynneselo website
Dhani Harrison Joins Jeff Lynne For Traveling Wilburys At ELO Concert Birmingham

While Black Sabbath was doing their final ever Back To The Beginning show in Villa Park, in their hometown Birmingham on Saturday night, across town four kilometres away Jeff Lynne was also performing at Utilita Arena in his hometown, Birmingham as well as Dhani Harrison joined Jeff.

3 days ago
Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath photo by Ros OGorman
Black Sabbath Return Back To The Beginning In Birmingham For The End

Black Sabbath played their final show in hometown Birmingham, UK on Saturday (5 July 2025) with a massive all-day festival featuring the world’s biggest rock acts.

3 days ago
The Doobie Brothers at Bluesfest Melbourne photo by Mary Boukouvalas
Tom Johnston Says He Nearly Died When He Left Doobie Brothers in 1977

When Tom Johnston left The Doobie Brothers in 1977, he says he nearly died.

5 days ago
Foreigner Premiere Previously Unreleased ‘4’ Track ‘Fool If You Love Him Ahead of Box Set Release

Foreigner have premiered the previously unreleased ‘Fool If You Love Him’, a song recorded but not used on the ‘4’ album.

6 days ago
Supertramp Crime of the Century
Two Supertramp Classics Remastered for 50th Anniversary

Supertramp’s 1974 classic ‘Crime of the Century’ and 1975 classic ‘Crisis? What Crisis?’ have been remastered to mark the 50th anniversary of the released.

6 days ago
Cold Chisel The Big Five O Live
Cold Chisel To Release Live DVD/Blu-Ray From Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl

Cold Chisel’s ‘The Big Five-O Live’ show, recently broadcast of television, will be available on CD, vinyl, DVD and Blu-Ray in August.

July 2, 2025
Phil Manning of Chain
Phil Manning and Warren Morgan Team Up For Exclusive Melbourne Show

Phil Manning of Chain and Warren Morgan of The Aztecs and also Chain will get together in Melbourne this Saturday night for a one-off performance.

July 1, 2025