Wolfgang Van Halen has released the song “Distance”, which is touching tribute to his father; Eddie Van Halen. The song was written and performed by Wolfgang, including all of the vocals and instruments. Edward Van Halen died of cancer on October 6th of this year.
Wolfgang described the reason he chose it for his first release: “As my pop continued to struggle with various health issues, I was imagining what my life would be like without him and how terribly I’d miss him. While the song is incredibly personal, I think anyone can relate to the idea of having a profound loss in their life,” Wolfgang explained.
You can watch Wolfgang Van Halen’s “Distance” below:
“Distance” is an open letter to his father — one Wolfgang was fortunate to play for his dad and would become a favorite of Eddie‘s — declaring “no matter what the distance is, I will be with you.” The video for the song is created from a collection of family home movies through the years and offers an inside look in to one of music’s most notable personalities. Chronicling the family through the years, the video ends with a touching voicemail left from Eddie to his son.
“I never intended ‘Distance’ to be the very first piece of music people would hear from me, but I also thought my father would be here to celebrate its release,” Wolfgang said. “This is for him. I love and miss you, Pop.”
The song has subsequently gone to number 1 on the iTunes charts. In a Tweet, the younger Van Halen described the reaction to the song this way:
#1 on @iTunes. Not just rock, but overall. I’m speechless.
The response to Distance has been mind-blowing and I’m so thankful for each and every one of you.
Know that the weight of this moment is not lost on me.
Thank you.
Wish you were here for this, Pop. pic.twitter.com/MTcHoEl0DV
— Wolf Van Halen (@WolfVanHalen) November 17, 2020
Wolfgang stated that all profits from “Distance” will benefit The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, which was very close to Edward Van Halen’s heart.
Congratulations, Wolfgang. The song is a wonderful tribute to your dad.
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What do you think of Wolfgang Van Halen’s “Distance”?