Recently, Wolfgang Van Halen participated in an Amoeba Music “What’s In My Bag?” segment, a series where musicians explore a music store, pick their favorite albums, and discuss each selection. Among his choices was the Van Halen: “The Collection II” 5-LP box set, featuring all four “Van Hagar” studio albums and an additional disc of studio rarities.
While discussing the set, Wolfgang addressed the ongoing debate between Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth, expressing his perspective on the matter. He emphasized finding positives in both singers and appreciating the musical contributions of each. Wolfgang acknowledged Sammy’s melodic influence on the band, enabling his father, Eddie Van Halen, to explore a more melodic style of songwriting. He stated:
“Not to delve into the exhausting argument of which singer is better, I’m kind of ‘of the mind’ where there’s positives in everything. And if you hate one side or the other, it’s like, ‘Hey, the same guy wrote this stuff.’ You can really find stuff to appreciate. And I really appreciate the melodic addition that Sammy added to the band with this music. I think it allowed my dad to explore a more melodic style of songwriting and there’s great stuff on here.”
In addition to the Van Halen box set, Wolfgang selected The Beatles’ “Abbey Road” as an all-time favorite. He shared a personal connection to the 1969 album, noting how it helped him through a challenging period. Wolfgang praised the heaviness of “I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” considering it a forerunner to the metal genre. He said:
“This album helped me through a really dark time – which I’m sure is probably dumb to say, because I think everybody has probably said that at some point. But I think that is just a testament to how great the album is. I think ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’ is – for the time – one of the heaviest songs ever. ‘Heavy’ is in the title, but I just love that was like, metal before metal kind of. And I just think it’s such a heavy, awesome song.”
Wolfgang concluded the segment by revealing his favorite Beatle, expressing admiration for George Harrison. He mentioned that “Here Comes the Sun” held sentimental value for him, as it was the song played on the piano during his wedding with his wife. Despite acknowledging that George Harrison might not be everyone’s favorite Beatle, Wolfgang found his choice “kind of cool.”