Wolf Van Halen Says He Sometimes Catches Himself Performing Like His Dad Eddie: 'It Just Happens'

Van Halen's band Mammoth WVH — which is nominated for a GRAMMY — is set to hit the road with Dirty Honey on the Young Guns Tour next year

Photo: Bryan Beasley

It's in the blood!

Even if it's unintentional, Wolf Van Halen sometimes finds himself making similar moves to his late dad Eddie when he's on stage. "It just happens," he tells PEOPLE.

Wolf (via his band Mammoth WVH) is prepping for a big year: his debut single "Distance" is nominated for best rock song at the 2022 GRAMMYs and he's hitting the road alongside rock band Dirty Honey for the massive Young Guns Tour in January. The tour is set to prove that rock and roll is far from dead.

After spending the last several months touring alongside Guns 'N' Roses, Wolf says he's noticed some things in his performances that seem all-too-similar to his dad Eddie's iconic style — even if it's unintentional.

"I just go up there and be myself. There's been a handful of moments though, where I've done something, and then I realize like, 'Oh s—, dad used to do that all the time on stage,' " the 30-year-old says. "And I realized maybe the way he moved or the way he smiled when he played something, I was like, 'Oh, f—, he would do that all the time.' "

Bryan Beasley; Courtesy of Dirty Honey

He adds, "And it's like, I couldn't even control it. It just happens. It's pretty funny."

The coming year will see Van Halen and Dirty Honey — fronted by Marc LaBelle — hit the stage for their own co-headlining tour. LaBelle tells PEOPLE that the collaborative tour just made sense.

"Our tours crossed paths over the summer, and so we did sort of a test show in South Carolina and it went extremely well," he says. "And I think musically, it was a really good match. And obviously, we're of the same generation, which is unique in this era of rock and roll."

He adds, "It seemed like a match made in heaven for a tour to take out in the early part of 2022."

Van Halen and LaBelle agree that their music is meant to prove to those who think rock and roll is gone that "there's a lot of life for it left to be lived," explains Wolf, adding that there's this "bitter sentiment" floating that rock and roll is "no longer what it used to be."

"It's definitely a viable genre and it expresses a range of emotions, which I don't necessarily think other genres do. I think rock and roll encompasses anger, sex, love, loss and excitement," Labelle says. "There's room to grow on those ideas and we're just looking to introduce it to our generation as a... I mean, it's f—in' cool, there's no doubt about it."

LaBelle adds, "Gene Simmons has been out here saying [rock and roll is] dead for like 30 years. If it's so dead man, then he should get his off tour and stay at home and let us do the work!"

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The tour is meant to promote both artists' self-titled albums released over the past year. Among Dirty Honey's hits are "When I'm Gone," "California Dreamin'" and "Rolling 7s." As for Wolf, his debut featured GRAMMY-nominated "Distance" and tracks such as "Don't Back Down" and "Epiphany."

But what are LaBelle's and Wolf's must-haves on tour?

"Good coffee for me, in the morning," says LaBelle. "And I usually like to do it alone. I like to find the best place in whatever city and just have some alone time. You're around people, 24/7."

Adds Wolf, "Bus full of 12 dudes, it's always nice to be able to find those moments, which is why my bunk is my favorite. I love just sleeping. If I'm bored, I'll just lay down and sleep. It's like a little mini time machine. It's awesome."

And, as they head on tour, Wolf says there's one piece of advice from his dad about performing that Wolf carries with him, it's "you just got to make sure you keep enjoying it, otherwise, what are you doing?"

Tickets for the Young Guns Tour are on sale now.