Maybe I'm just getting old

**Scott** · 12.21.06, 07:52 AM

However, IF Wolfie is the new bassist & they tour with him - does anyone else see a problem in terms of:
- 15 year old kid touring with two admitted alcoholics (Ed&Al).
- 15 year old kid leading a "rockstar" lifestyle (sex, drugs, etc).
- Kid missing out on school.

Will he develope similar traits? Will he assume a "lesser" perspective on life as he does have to work hard to appreciate things?

Seriously - maybe I'm getting old - but there are a LOT of negative influences that could be had on Wolfie if it happens.

**Zahzoo** · 12.21.06, 08:02 AM

First you ain't old yet...

I've got 2 sons around Wolfie's age. Great kids!! Are they ready to go out on a major rock band tour? No fuckin way!!! Too many diversions, temptations and opportunities that will come their way.

Hell my kids make poor choices between home and high school any given day. Put them on the road with a bunch of roadies and the hangers on... no way, they'd be up to their ears in bullshit by the 2nd day.

**It's Mike** · 12.21.06, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by Scott

However, IF Wolfie is the new bassist & they tour with him - does anyone else see a problem in terms of:
- 15 year old kid touring with two admitted alcoholics (Ed&Al).
- 15 year old kid leading a "rockstar" lifestyle (sex, drugs, etc).
- Kid missing out on school.

Will he develope similar traits? Will he assume a "lesser" perspective on life as he does have to work hard to appreciate things?

Seriously - maybe I'm getting old - but there are a LOT of negative influences that could be had on Wolfie if it happens.

agreed, but is this any different than any teen idol that tours the world?

**Wickett** · 12.21.06, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by it's me

agreed, but is this any different than any teen idol that tours the world?

not different at all.. only the average age of the audience.

**Lodewijk** · 12.21.06, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by Zahzoo

First you ain't old yet...

I've got 2 sons around Wolfie's age. Great kids!! Are they ready to go out on a major rock band tour? No fuckin way!!! Too many diversions, temptations and opportunities that will come their way.

Hell my kids make poor choices between home and high school any given day. Put them on the road with a bunch of roadies and the hangers on... no way, they'd be up to their ears in bullshit by the 2nd day.

I think if Ed and Al could handle the LA strip scene at 17 or 18 with no supervision at all.....Wolfie can handle a summer tour with 50 year old guys, where someone's been hired to watch over him.

How much different is this than Hanson, or New Kids, or any other young music star that tours and has plenty of "things" thrown at them ! The genre of the music is the only real difference.

I'm sure he'll be fine.

**Whats The Big Deal** · 12.21.06, 08:23 AM

I agree that there was some negative things going on in the past and could still be now, but I don't see a problem with him touring. His mother or some other adult besides Ed will most likely be there for Wolf during the tour. At the moment he is with them practicing and I'm sure that anything Ed does won't be anything Wolf hasn't seen before, but we are not there and we don't know what is happening. As far as the "RockStar lifestyle" I don't think they use any illegal drugs and I don't think they pulling girls from the crowd to join them backstage like alot of other bands used to do. I hope that Wolf is getting his education, but I'm sure that family has kept that in mind as well. If this is what he wants to do and if both of his parents support him we should respect it. I know that if I could go back in time I would do the same thing and I'm sure many others would as well. I just hope that Eddie has made efforts towards some of the problems he has in his personal life.

**Zahzoo** · 12.21.06, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by Lodewijk

I think if Ed and Al could handle the LA strip scene at 17 or 18 with no supervision at all.....Wolfie can handle a summer tour with 50 year old guys, where someone's been hired to watch over him.

You can't compare being a teenager in the 70's to today. Whole different world even out on the strip and a far safer world back then.

Sure Wolfie can handle it... he lives with these bums daily. But the road is a whole nother thing. The 2 hours on stage are the least of concern. It's what goes on the 22 hours inbetween that's the kicker.

Look at it this way... touring on the road takes a heavy toll on relatively healthy adults. It ain't a road trip to Disney World with Pops. What's this kid going to be exposed too while Pops is completely Looned out or sleeping it off? Recipe for disaster...

**It's Mike** · 12.21.06, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by Zahzoo

You can't compare being a teenager in the 70's to today. Whole different world even out on the strip and a far safer world back then.

Sure Wolfie can handle it... he lives with these bums daily. But the road is a whole nother thing. The 2 hours on stage are the least of concern. It's what goes on the 22 hours inbetween that's the kicker.

Look at it this way... touring on the road takes a heavy toll on relatively healthy adults. It ain't a road trip to Disney World with Pops. What's this kid going to be exposed too while Pops is completely Looned out or sleeping it off? Recipe for disaster...

I'm sure he'll be travelling with some company. I would hope his family would be overly cautious with him on the road.

**Lodewijk** · 12.21.06, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by Zahzoo

Look at it this way... touring on the road takes a heavy toll on relatively healthy adults. It ain't a road trip to Disney World with Pops. What's this kid going to be exposed too while Pops is completely Looned out or sleeping it off? Recipe for disaster...

He'll sit in his hotel room and practice his bass, do some homework, or play his X-box360 like a normal 15 year old kid. Just like he does every day when he gets home from school and Dad's asleep cause he was "up the hill" all night fucking around in 5150.

**Pumpkinhead** · 12.21.06, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Zahzoo

First you ain't old yet...

I've got 2 sons around Wolfie's age. Great kids!! Are they ready to go out on a major rock band tour? No fuckin way!!! Too many diversions, temptations and opportunities that will come their way.

Hell my kids make poor choices between home and high school any given day. Put them on the road with a bunch of roadies and the hangers on... no way, they'd be up to their ears in bullshit by the 2nd day.

naaaaaaa.... actually it's usually the 4th or 5th day that everything REALLY kicks in! lol....

**Blount5150** · 12.21.06, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by it's me

agreed, but is this any different than any teen idol that tours the world?

In the long run, yes. Wolfie only had to prove his talent to 1 person. He didn't have to send demos, play to empty crowds, go hungry, etc. Instant "rock star" has been handed to him. At least Ed & Al had to, let me borrow a Daveism, sing for dinner for a while. After the here and now is over, after Ed is gone, etc, Wolfie will have to go beyond his dad on the guitar to be respected years down the road.

I think it would be cool for Ed, Al, and Wolfie to play some gigs together, do some side stuff, just not Van Halen.

**Zahzoo** · 12.21.06, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by Pumpkinhead

naaaaaaa.... actually it's usually the 4th or 5th day that everything REALLY kicks in! lol....

Probably so... but my kids are fast learners when it comes to finding trouble!!

**twonabomber** · 12.21.06, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by Zahzoo

he lives with these bums daily.

exactly.

**ScottyBHarris** · 12.21.06, 09:14 AM

Come on, Wolfie toured with VH to some extent in '04. I'm sure he is spoiled rotten, has some hott chick watching out and taking care of him, he will be eating $100 steaks from III Forks while on the road, etc. Besides if he has grown up in this lifestyle, he would be better aclimated than you or I if we were thrown in to this situation.

**ziggysmalls** · 12.21.06, 09:19 AM

Well while I think the road can be dangerous who really knows. I remember when Sammy was pushing his kid into stardom by having him join Bloodline with other kids, the guitarist was about 12. Joe Bonamossa or something like that. Anyway that kid now is in his 20's and he seems pretty well adjusted.

Think about kids doing movies. They don't live the normal every day life and some turn out ok and some turn out to be drug addicts. For every Drew Barrymore you have a Jodi Foster.

Its a crap shoot but I would not start reserving a spot for Wolfgang at the Betty Ford clinich just yet. Valerie seems to be pretty stable and one thing we do know is that Ed loves his kid.