Wolfgang Van Halen was originally slated to perform at the highly anticipated Back to the Beginning concert featuring Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. However, during a recent interview with Detroit’s Meltdown on 101 WRIF, Wolfgang disclosed that he had to withdraw from the lineup. He expressed his disappointment, stating, “I, unfortunately, had to back out because the Creed tour starts the day after, and I [wouldn’t] be able to pull it off — unfortunately. I’m very excited to watch it, but I unfortunately had to back out.”

Although Wolfgang’s schedule prevented him from participating in this particular event, he was honored to be part of Ozzy Osbourne‘s Rock Hall induction. Earlier this year, during an interview on the Loudwire Nights radio show, he mentioned, “My family lineage is intertwined and has gone way back with the likes of Ozzy. My dad was very, very close with Tony Iommi, probably the closest of any other guitar players out there. It was a crazy honor to be there for the Hall of Fame induction as well as this. It’s a crazy thing.”

Wolfgang went on to reflect on the influence of legendary musicians, stating, “There are some legends out there where it’s just like, they can’t be replicated and they’re just so original — they started a movement.” He also shared a personal anecdote about his father’s favorite guitar riff, which is from Black Sabbath’s iconic track, “Into the Void.”

During his conversation with Meltdown, Wolfgang was asked to identify his favorite Ozzy guitar player. Given the plethora of talent in Ozzy’s band history, this was a challenging question for him. He candidly admitted, “I’m really bad at picking, ’cause that almost implies you don’t like another one in comparison. And I feel like Randy Rhoads was amazing, but you can’t not give cred to Tony Iommi being the legend and groundbreaking genre creator he was — and is. So I love ’em all. That’s not the answer you wanna hear.”

Wolfgang Van Halen Discusses His Experience with WRIF’s Meltdown

Anticipating Mammoth’s 2025 Tour and the Back to the Beginning Concert

Even though Wolfgang will not be attending the Back to the Beginning concert, the event promises to showcase an impressive roster of artists. Scheduled for July 5, 2025, this concert is set to be a monumental moment in music history as it will feature the original lineup of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward performing together on their home turf in Birmingham, England, at the iconic Villa Park venue.

The Back to the Beginning concert is anticipated to be a landmark event in 2025, showcasing a stellar lineup of artists who will perform tributes to the legendary metal pioneers and Ozzy Osbourne himself. Notable acts such as Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Mastodon, and Rival Sons are set to grace the stage leading up to this historic performance.

Moreover, the day will feature additional performances from a diverse array of talented artists including Tom Morello, Billy Corgan, David Draiman, Duff McKagan, Fred Durst, Lzzy Hale, Jake E. Lee, Jonathan Davis, K.K. Downing, Mike Bordin, Papa V Perpetua, Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Slash, Sleep Token II, Steven Tyler, Soundgarden, Andrew Watt, Chad Smith, Vernon Reid, Whitfield Crane, and David Ellefson. Additionally, actor Jason Momoa will take on the role of host for this exciting day-long event.

To ensure fans around the world can partake in this extraordinary experience, a global pay-per-view livestream of the Back to the Beginning concert will be available. The livestream is set to commence at 3 PM BST on July 5, and fans who purchase access will have exclusive rights to view the entire concert for an additional 48 hours after the event concludes.

Tickets for the livestream can be purchased through the official Back to the Beginning website, providing fans with an opportunity to witness this unforgettable musical celebration.

In the meantime, Wolfgang Van Halen and his band Mammoth are gearing up for their return to the stage next month, as Wolfgang confirmed. The band is set to support Creed on their summer tour, which has dates scheduled through August 30. Fans can find all the details regarding cities, dates, and ticketing information by visiting the official Mammoth website.