Dave Grohl and Greg Kurstin got in the holiday spirit on Sunday by lighting the first flame for the third year of their Hannukah Sessions series. The Foo Fighters frontman and his longtime producer began the festival of lights with some help from famed comedic filmmaker Judd Apatow with a live performance of Blood, Sweat & Tears‘ “Spinning Wheel”.
What began as a pandemic project in 2020 with Grohl and Kurstin recording covers of famous Jewish musicians from home has since escaped quarantine in 2022. Per Billboard, all eight songs of the 2022 Hanukkah Sessions were recorded live on December 5th at Los Angeles’ 250-capacity Largo. The performances feature an array of special celebrity guests—which is fortunate for Apatow, who was winded by the end of the bluesy number.
“Dave, I know you do five-hour concerts but that’s all I could do,” Apatow said between gasps for air. “I need a month off.”
The director who set the tone for comedy for the 2000s dedicated his performance to the fictitious late-night TV duo Hank Kingsley (Jeffrey Tambor) and Larry Sanders (the late Garry Shandling). Kingsley sang the song in the second season of Shandling’s acclaimed HBO series, The Larry Sanders Show. In 2018, Apatow released the documentary The Zen Diaries Of Garry Shandling about the iconic comedian, who passed away in 2016.
Grohl and Kurstin wrote of the cover,
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!
Watch Dave Grohl and Greg Kurstin cover “Spinning Wheel” with Judd Apatow for the first night of the 2022 Hanukkah Sessions. Stay tuned to the Foo Fighters’ YouTube channel for the next seven nights. Revisit last year’s Hanukkah Sessions featuring covers of Lisa Loeb (“Stay (I Missed You)”), Ramones (“Blitzkreig Bop”), Barry Manilow (“Copacabana”), Van Halen (“Jump”), Amy Winehouse (“Take The Box”), Billy Joel (“Big Shot”), The Clash (“Train In Vain”), and KISS (“Rock And Roll All Nite”. )
Dave Grohl, Greg Kurstin, Judd Apatow – “Spinning Wheel” (Blood, Sweat & Tears) – 12/5/22