The Witzard

"Hi, I'm Greg Kurstin and I'm Jewish. And I'm Dave Grohl. I am NOT Jewish... but this year, instead of doing a Christmas song, Greg & I decided to celebrate Hanukkah by recording eight songs by eight famous Jewish artists and releasing one song each night of Hanukkah for you. So, we hope you enjoy! Happy Hanukkah!" close friends, cohorts, and collaborators Dave Grohl & Greg Kurstin explained within a recent video. They were, of course, announcing what we now know to be dubbed The Hanukkah Sessions! credited to Kurstin x Grohl. However, thisisn't the first time Grohl & Kurstin have worked together, as Kurstin produced Grohl's band, Foo Fighter's critically-acclaimed 2017 album, Concrete & Gold . It appears as though Greg Kurstin was, also, behind the boards for Foo Fighters' upcoming tenth studio album, Medicine At Midnight, as he shares a co-producer credit along with The Foos. Plus, Dave Grohl fittingly plays drums on "Littl...

"We've decided to make a new Death Grips album and it will be called Bottomless Pit ," Death Grips cryptically revealed, as per usual, on their Facebook page Wednesday evening. Founding members Stefan Burnett (better known as MC Ride ), Andy Morin , and Zach Hill have previously grabbed headlines for their frantic, nearly career-ruining antics; rubbing shoulders with Robert Pattinson & Beyoncé , appearing "in a minute" on Rachael Ray thanks to comedian Fred Armisen , releasing one album under Epic Records executive L.A. Reid 's hit-making reign, leaking a set of private emails and ultimately a d*ck-pic-boasting album cover, cancelling a string of dates in support of NIN & Soundgarden , suddenly breaking up via a note scrawled across a dinner napkin , only to "reunite" for a 2-disc album just a few months later, and if you ask me, inadvertently inspired Kanye West 's Aggro-Rap magnum opus Yeezus . Death Grips are for all intens...

Death Grips have always been a band to defy convention; whether it be signing with a major label Epic deal and ultimately getting dropped for leaking private emails, self-releasing not one, but three full-length albums (one complete with dick pic cover art), cancelling an entire 2012 tour to record without informing nay of the pre-booked venues, and working on a mysterious [probably fake] short film with Robert Pattinson & Colin Hanks . Just last night, Death Grips posted a message scrawled across a napkin on their Facebook page, which reads: "We are now at our best and so Death Grips is over. We have officially stopped. All currently scheduled live dates are canceled. Our upcoming double album "the powers that b" will still be delivered worldwide later this year via Harvest/Third Worlds Records . Death Grips was and always has been a conceptual art exhibition anchored by sound and vision. Above and beyond a "band." To our truest fans, please stay l...

While it's been in-the-works for nearly 4 years and was largely recorded before Soundgarden 's recent reunion, it's kinda hard not to compare Ben Shepherd's solo side-project "HBS" to his pioneering Grunge band's 1980-90's work. The Seattle by way of Japan bassist managed to recruit a brigade of like-minded Seattle players including: Matt Cameron , Joseph Brailey, Klaus Lustica , Greg Gilmore, Matt Chamberlain , and Steve Kim . "Baron Robber" kinda sounds like the perfect soundtrack for a late night, moon-lit drive down some intertwining back roads in a bitchin' 90's Trans AM or I-ROC ; fuzzed out, bass-driven Alternative Rock at it's finest, which started out as an acoustic record! Hunter Benedict "Ben" Shepherd recorded the bulk of his debut solo project, In Deep Owl at a very interesting Georgetown location, buddy Gerry Amandes' studio that's right "behind a sex club... where [they] cou...

That horrible Timbaland -produced " Dance album" aside, Chris Cornell has really worked with a wide array of talented friends-musicians over the years; Whether it be Audioslave (Rage), Maynard James Keenan , Eddie Vedder Temple of The Dog , "Alice Mudgarden," Rick Rubin , or his Seattle -based Grunge band... Soundgarden . While they originally formed back in 1984-1997, Soundgarden re-formed in 2010 along with the simultaneous rise/demise of both Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave . Back in the day, Soundgarden released a string of successful Alternative Rock hits, Superunknown will soon celebrate it's 20th anniversary [2014], and they definitely managed to forever change the face of Modern Rock music. But frankly, having an original song attached to a $200 million opening weekend film, The Avengers , is an entirely different animal! "Live to Rise" is Soundgarden 's first new track in roughly 15 years, since Down on The Upside ; Graft...

Taylor "Cindy Lou Who" Momsen and her [teen] angst-filled Alternative Rock band, The Pretty Reckless are gearing up to join Marilyn Manson's Hey Cruel World... Tour . Momsen has been on "indefinite hiatus" from her infamous Gossip Girl acting gig since roughly 2010. But she's made good use of her new-found downtime, re-inventing herself and perusing her Rock "N" Roll fantasies along with The Pretty Reckless . Taylor Momsen says she's creatively influenced by Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Soundgarden , The White Stripes , and Oasis ; She's reportedly been messing around with music since the age of 8 and upon signing with Interscope Records (2009), has recruited a variety of band members, which now include: Ben Phillips, Mark Damon , and Jamie Perkins . The Pretty Reckless' discography currently consists of one album and 2 EP's. The bulk of which, including full-length Light Me Up , were written-recorded along with famed producer Ka...

So, it seems that D'Angelo is plotting one Hell of a Soulful comeback; After a self-imposed 12-year long [creative] exile, a new/old track has finally emerged - "Black Hole Sun." D'Angelo adds his signature honey-drenched vocal flourishes to the 90's Grunge Mega-Hit. There are minor audio send-ups to Michael Archer 's own go-to influences: Herbie Hancock , Jimi Hendrix , and Stevie Wonder . D'Angelo is no stranger to recorded covers... as he laid down a handful of soundtrack-appearing covers between his first sabbatical period (1996-2000): "Girl, You Need a Change of Mind," "She Always In My Hair," "Heaven Must Be Like This," and "Feel Like Makin' Love." This 2010 Soundgarden demo comes on the heels of the Occupy Music Tour (Europe) and nearly 97% complete album "announcement." ?uestlove recently said in an interview that "James River" is essentially the Funky , black step-brot...