For the past two years, Dave Grohl and Greg Kurstin have released covers of Jewish artists for each night of Hanukkah. This year brings a slightly different approach, as the two musicians and some of their famous friends took over the Largo at Coronet Theater in Los Angeles on Dec. 5 to record the batch of covers in front of a live audience.
The first cover released from that session, which is out today in honor of Hanukkah’s first night, is of Blood, Sweat and Tears’ “Spinning Wheel,” with writer/director Judd Apatow on lead vocals.
“A little blood and plenty of schvitz went into this year’s Hanukkah Sessions — but the only tears you’ll be shedding will be tears of nachas when you hear Judd Apatow sing ‘Spinning Wheel’ by Blood, Sweat & (No) Tears!,” reads the caption of the corresponding video.
Based on the set list from the Largo show, fans can expect covers of P!nk’s “Get the Party Started” featuring the artist herself, 10cc’s “The Things We Do for Love” sung by Kurstin’s the bird and the bee bandmate Inara George, Janis Ian’s “At Seventeen” sung by Grohl’s daughter Violet, Beck’s “E-Pro” with Beck, Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Heads Will Roll” with that group’s Karen O, Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.,” Rush’s “The Spirit of the Radio” sung by Tenacious D’s Jack Black, and that group’s Kyle Gass doing his best David Lee Roth impression on “Just a Gigolo” / “I Ain’t Got Nobody.”
In 2020, Grohl and Kurstin covered songs from artists such as Drake, Bob Dylan, and the Velvet Underground in honor of the holiday. Last year, they tackled tracks by Billy Joel, Barry Manilow, and Van Halen.
