Van Halen Guitarist's Teenage Son Hired as Band's New Bassist
Eddie Van Halen's 15-year-old son, Wolfgang, has been tapped to be Van Halen's new bassist. The younger Van Halen takes the place of founding member Michael Anthony, who recently has been touring with sometime VH singer Sammy Hagar. The band's spokeswoman says Wolfgang has begun rehearsing with the group for a trek that will launch next year. No news on who will sing with Van Halen, although word has it that original frontman David Lee Roth may return to the fold.


from TMZ.com--

Van Halen's New Bassist? Eddie's Boy Wonder!


"Wolfie"

Posted Nov 2nd 2006 6:05PM by TMZ Staff

Van Halen has finally found its new bassist -- and it looks like the rock gods are keeping the band a family affair.

TMZ is first to confirm that Van Halen has hired 15-year-old Wolfgang Van Halen -- the son of guitarist Eddie Van Halen and estranged wife Valerie Bertinelli, and nephew of drummer Alex Van Halen -- as the new bassist for the band.

Wolfgang replaces longtime bassist Michael Anthony, who left the band earlier this year. Eddie Van Halen's spokesperson Janie Liszewski tells TMZ that Wolfgang, known as "Wolfie," has already joined his dad and uncle for rehearsals in the studio for a 2007 summer tour. Wolfie played dates with his father during the band's 2004 tour, and the song "316" on 1991's For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, was named for Wolfie's birth date that same year.

The band is still without a lead singer, despite rumors that David Lee Roth might rejoin.

another link...
http://www.tmz.com/2006/09/11/van-halen-reunion

I don't think Michael Anthony "left" the band...Eddie's just throwing a hissy fit because Anthony dared to go out on the road with Sammy and (gasp!) play music for the fans.

Funnily enough, I just checked VH's official website and they still have a band picture with Sammy and Mike on the home page. The last update to the site was eighteen months ago.

The above info is the exact same as I posted but it certainly seems to be true. Why? Who the hell knows? But EVH is clearly out of his mind. Just what did Michael Anthony do besides playing with Sammy that was so bad?
His bass playing and vocals will be sorely missed.

How good can a 15 y.o. be on the bass... even if he's the son of Eddie Van Halen?
(the kid looks like an overweight Valerie Bertinelli with an Eddie grin...)

I think Eddie's mad at Michael for touring and aligning himself with Sammy... but you know what? Michael is friends with all those guys, probably upset at the lack of activity of VH and their future as a band, and... it probably just caught in the middle of this never-ending mess. All of it...created by Eddie.

Eddie's a wacko.

I think that Michael Anthony got tired of sitting around and wanted to play, which is why he started touring with Sammy a few years ago. I certainly don't blame the guy - Van Halen had been on hiatus for a few years at that point (I'm talking before the Van Hagar "reunion" of a couple years back) and he was probably itching to do something.

Over the years, my respect for Michael Anthony has increased a lot, while my respect for Eddie has decreased sharply. Eddie changed at some point back in the nineties and seemed to become a pretty miserable person.

He's punishing Mikey for wanting to play, have some fun and make the fans happy?? Good luck with him and his pseudo-reunion. He's starting to make David Lee Roth look sane. At least with Dave, we know it's an act.

I feel the same way brother

Well... it IS bass. Y'know the old joke - what do you call that person who's always following around a group of musicians everywhere they perform? The bass player!

(I kid, I kid. I can't play a thing...)

I don't think it is about the age of the player but rather who long he has been playing.

This band is pathetic.

For awhile there both Van Halen and Aerosmith were the prides of American hard rock. They seemed to be able to go on and on.

Now we just have Aerosmith that still sounds great live (albums not so great).

I thought that was the drummer?

I CAN play a few instruments, and trust me - an arthritic missing four fingers could still play bass for Van Halen. It's all root notes so Eddie and Alex can star (and there's nothing wrong with that)

But Michael Anthony is a hugely entertaining guy, and far and away the life of the party when they toured here with Cherone. It's a shame he's gone, even more so since the kid's aping Dad's insulation tape bodywork.

This would've excited me before Eddie decided not to have Michael Anthony part of VH anymore, but I laughed out loud that his son who has been playing bass for 3 MONTHS is ready to rock!
Oh lord-and to those who mock Michael Anthony's bass playing-he's rock solid. No, he's not Geddy Lee, Les Claypool, Jack Bruce, John Paul Jones, Phil Lynott,etc., but he is good. Listen to the playing on VH II and Fair Warning especially. Anyway, you must read on...

From blabbermouth.net

Eddie Van Halen spoke to Guitar World magazine about the current status of VAN HALEN following the departures of vocalist Sammy Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony.

Rumors continue to swirl that original singer David Lee Roth, who was replaced by Hagar in the mid-1980s, will return to the fold, despite years of enmity. Roth, who has recently worked as a radio DJ and a paramedic, told Billboard.com in May that he saw it "absolutely as an inevitability."

"I'm telling Dave, 'Dude, get your ass up here and sing, bitch! Come on!'" Eddie told Guitar World. "As it stands right now, the ball is in Dave's court. Whether he wants to rise to the ocassion is entirely up to him, but we're ready to go."

Eddie has brought his 15-year-old son, Wolfgang, into VAN HALEN as the veteran rock band's new bass player. Father and son, along with Eddie's drummer brother Alex, have been rehearsing for a 2007 tour.

"Wolfgang breathes new life into what we're doing," said Eddie. "He brings youthfulness to something that's inherently youthful. He's only been playing bass for three months, but it's spooky. He's locked tight and puts an incredible spin on our shit. The kid is kicking my ass! He's spanking me now, even though I never spanked him. To have my son follow in my footsteps on his own, without me pushing him into it, is the greatest feeling in the world."

Is it just me or does this sound really, really forced?

C'mon Eddie...
Wolfie isn't concerned about following in your footsteps... as much as he is concerned about getting laid with your groupies.
Who can blame him for wanting into the band...

It really is a shame that "Van Halen" has deteriorated into this. Once one of the greatest American hard rock bands, now they are a joke for late night TV.

Van Halen, RIP.

The fork was stuck in them ten years ago when they split with Sammy. I don't think Eddie realizes they're done.

I'll save my money for Sammy and Mike's "The Other Half" band next time Hagar tours.

I'd sooner give them money to stay retired than I would pay for a ticket to see this trainwreck.

Maybe they can get Elliot Easton of Creedence Clearwater Revisited & The New Cars to join the Band, or Paul Rogers or Ian Astbury

3 months............ wow that's pathetic.

Well, Eddie claims the kid can play at the speed of light or sound.

Of course, in the mid-nineties, Eddie also did intensive therapy, got "sober" and as a result, both his band and his marriage crapped out.

Remind me never to go into therapy!

ignorance is bliss

Maybe they'll go on tour with Mike's Love version of the Beach Boys. Might has well get all of rock music's running gag's on one bill.

The most ironic thing is that supposedly Eddie refused to have VH do "Rock Star" this summer (which from what I heard was a trainwreck anyway-Supernova? I'm sure they're as bad as the movie and I'm glad to see they're doing pitiful) because it was degrading.
Yeah, having a 15 year-old kid who's been playing 3 months on bass and who the hell knows on vocals is a whiz-bang idea.
I'm willing to bet even the desperate, sad clown that is David Lee Roth is having second thoughts-hence the delay.