Valerie Bertinelli might be busy with her many food TV shows, but she’s not too busy to make a cameo in one of her son Wolfgang Van Halen’s music video. The young musician’s band, Mammoth WVH, recently dropped their new video for the song “I’m Alright,” in which the rocker and his bandmates are preparing for battle of the bands. Ahead of the big performance, Bertinelli is spotted playing the venue box office attendant, checking the bands. See the video below!
Wolfgang is the only song of Bertinelli and her late ex-husband, Eddie Van Halen. Eddie was the co-founder, primary songwriter and guitarist for Van Halen, a band that also featured his brother Alex on drums. Wolfgang later joined the band, playing bass and singing back-up vocals, in 2006. He has since stated that Van Halen will not continue without his father. He later started Mammoth WVH and began recording and touring.
Sadly, Eddie died on Oct. 6, 2020 — at the age of 65 — after a long battle with throat and lung cancer. Eddie had been first diagnosed with tongue cancer as far back as 2000. Not long after his death, Bertinelli mentioned that cancer eventually spread to his lungs. Wolfgang confirmed the news of his father’s death in an Instagram post, writing, “I can’t believe I’m having to write this, but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning. He was the best father I could ever ask for.
He continued, “Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift. My heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss.” Wolfgang concluded his statement, saying, “I love you so much, Pop.”
Recently, Wolfgang opened up about his father’s legacy and explained why he doesn’t feel the need to record any old Van Halen songs as a memorial. “He’s the reason why I do what I do. I wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for him,” the Grammy-nominated singer-guitarist said in a recent interview with Audacy Check In.
Elaborating on why he feels it’s best for him to honor his father in other ways, Wolfgang said, “So that’s certainly very important. I think just doing what I do is enough of a reference and tribute-just me existing and continuing to be my own person and my own musical space.” He then went on to make a reference to Van Halen’s 1984 hit song “Panama” to explain his point. “I don’t think people realize that me just doing that is enough of a tribute and respect toward the life that he gave me, and the interests he instilled in me,” he said. “I don’t have to play ‘Panama’ in order to respect him, you know what I mean?”
