Hooked: Joel Hoekstra on AC/DC's "Back in Black"

For many, Wolfgang Van Halen will always be defined by his famous origin story. The son of guitar legend Eddie Van Halen and actress Valerie Bertinelli, he first banged out rhythms on stacks of magazines before moving to real drums. As a teenager, he unexpectedly became the spark for Van Halen’s mid-2000s reunion with David Lee Roth—a run that brought long-awaited, sold-out tours, a 2012 studio album, and a 2015 live release. The band’s time, however, ended when Eddie passed away in October 2020 after a long battle with cancer. In the years between their final tour and his father’s death, Wolf had quietly been crafting a solo album, which he set aside to spend more time with Eddie.