Wolfgang Van Halen was recently asked, by The Mistress Carrie Podcast, if his talent is “genetic or learned?”
He responded (as per blabbermouth.net), “I think maybe genetics maybe placed a sort of nugget of interest towards music. And I understand — constantly, every day, I think every day on social media I get somebody saying, ‘Oh, it’s in your genes. It’s in your blood.’ And I get that to a certain extent, and I totally get that it’s coming from a positive place, but overall, it’s, like, I play [laughs] a lot. I’ve been playing since I was nine, and I’m 32. I’ve been playing way more than half my life. And at a certain point, it’s that sort of ten-thousand-hour rule: the more time you put into something, the more results you get.”
He continued, “Yeah, I can understand where that comes from also. I grew up in an environment that was very music positive. Although that’s a weird thing to say; if there ever was a music-‘negative’ environment, I wouldn’t wanna be in that. But, yeah, growing up in the environment and just being encouraged, I guess, by both my parents, it certainly didn’t stop me from improving.”
Mammoth II, the second album from Wolfgang’s Mammoth WVH project, will be released on August 4th through BMG. The 10-track record was recorded at the legendary 5150 studio and was produced by Wolfgang’s friend and collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette.
Mammoth WVH have previously released two tracks from the forthcoming Mammoth II CD. Another Celebration at the End of the World can be heard here, and Like a Pastime, here. To read further details about this release, please go here.
The track listing for Mammoth II is:
1. Right?
2. Like A Pastime
3. Another Celebration At The End Of The World
4. Miles Above Me
5. Take A Bow
6. Optimist
7. I’m Alright
8. Erase Me
9. Waiting
10. Better Than You
2 Responses
I personally don’t think talent of any kind is inherent in someone’s DNA or genes , you develop a passion for something wether its art, music, medicine, sports etc, then you just give yourself to it and you practice and learn until the light bulb moment when it clicks, it’s hard work & repetition that makes you great – you can’t skip steps –
Absolutely.Enthusiasm is the primary factor that fertilizes talent. You either have that or not. Personally I’ve been OK at a lot of things, but not great at any thing. WVH ’10 Thousand Hour Rule’ is spot on. Sports, arts and entertainment people typically put in a tremendous amount of work and practice before we discover their ‘talent.’