Wolfgang Van Halen released the single "Distance" with his solo band Mammoth WVH . The song is a tribute to his father and guitar icon Eddie Van Halen , who passed away in October of this year after battling throat cancer.
“I didn’t plan for ‘Distance’ to be the first song people heard from me, but I thought my dad would be here to celebrate its release. This is for him. I love you and miss you, Dad,” Wolfgang confessed in a statement released to the press.
He also shared how he stood by his father throughout his battle with cancer: “While my father continued to fight various health problems, I imagined what my life would be like without him and how much I would miss him. It’s a very personal song, but I think anyone can relate to the idea of going through a great loss in life.”
Wolfgang also revealed that he had the pleasure of playing the track for him before he passed away and said that it became his father's favorite. "Distance" was accompanied by a music video featuring a collection of home videos from the family over the years, offering an intimate look at the family. The video ends with a moving voice message from Eddie to his son. Watch it below.
Part of the proceeds from the sales of “Distance” will go to the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation , an organization that provides music education to low-income youth. Speaking about the donation, the foundation's CEO, Felice Mancini , said: “Our connection with Eddie grew from his generous nature, his joy when he saw children learning and playing music, and above all, his understanding of what is important in life.”
“Eddie lived through his music, and I believe he would have loved to see this form of expression grow in his students. Music saved him, and he loved giving back through what we do for children with the power of music. Thank you, Eddie. We will never forget you.”
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