When my dad dies, I'm going to solve a new physics equation!

□ [“Wolfgang Van Halen Dedicating His Debut Solo Single To His Late Father"]

This single should be out on Monday the 16th.  I assume I'll listen to it but wanted to write down what I was thinking about it beforehand.

Yeah, there are people complaining about it coming right after EVH's death, but I don't think much of that.  Brian May had started preparing to release his first solo album as Freddie Mercury was nearing death and was really bothered by that and wanted to put it off.  He talked to Queen's manager about it who brought the news to Freddie whose response was classic, "tell him he must release it, what better publicity could he have?"  Then there's Yoko immediately going back to work on a new solo album two days after her husband died.  Lennon had spent his last couple of weeks focusing on it and it was her biggest hit.  It's Yoko's biggest hit ever and the Brian May album is still one of my favorites of all time.

Anyway, I'm not bothered by Wolfgang's new release.  If nothing else, it's good to have something to focus on in times like these.  More importantly, he's never had much to focus on.  Born to monstrously-rich parents, there hasn't been much need to get into anything.  He's supposedly a talented multi-instrumentalist but there's little sign of that beyond playing bass in his father's band for one album and two tours and some with another band I can't name offhand.  Nothing has made his abilities stick out and he's been working on this album for at least five years.

That's not how long it takes to make a debut album when you live in a house with a professional studio.  At least not if you have any real desire to get work done.  I know he said something about having to keep the family going for the next generation but I can't find the quote.  I think it was around the time he joined in 2007.  He's turning 30 in a few months and Wikipedia says he's played on four studio albums in his life, drums or bass, not both.  His father had released 1984, his sixth album, shortly before turning 29.  Wolf started in Van Halen when he was sixteen, over half his life ago and hasn't demonstrated ability that people have an urge to hear.

Like I say, I'm sure I'll listen to the new song, but at this point I'm just expecting this new release to be generic hard rock.  But this is coming from the Axl Rose school of music and even Axl managed to get a few albums done before his 30th birthday, the only ones he's known for.