 Photograph by Christina Choi |
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BIOGRAPHY Rob Simons was born in 1974. He received his BA in Film Studies from UC Santa Barbara and his MFA in Writing from California College of the Arts. His collection of stories, Things Kept Burning, was published in September 2006. Rob also collaborated with German director Werner Herzog in the summer of 2001, and the ensuing film, Rescue Dawn - starring Christian Bale - debuted at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. Currently he works as a graphic designer in San Francisco, having just completed three years as an English professor at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento. |
SELF-INTERVIEW
Q: Who are some of your artistic influences?
A: Wes Anderson, Stanley Kubrick, Lynn Ramsey, Anton Newcombe, Richard Billingham, William T. Vollman, Julie Orringer, Amy Hempel, Tim O'Brien, Stanley Donwood, Darren Aronofsky, Joan Didion, Bradley Nowell, Thom Yorke, Raymond Carver, Jack Kerouac, Fiona Apple, Colin Oberst, David Sedaris, Jt Leroy, Chuck Palahniuk, Sherman Alexie, Vincent Gallo, Denis Johnson, Robert Frank, Harmony Korine, Henry Miller, Albert Camus, Tom Waits, Jackson Pollock, Dave Eggers, Jack White, Jack Nicholson, Sean Penn, Paul Thomas Anderson, The Coen Brothers, Stephen Malkmus, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Danny Boyle, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Bill Murray, Kurt Cobain, David Fincher, Nan Goldin, Ian McEwan, Kurt Vonnegut, Hubert Selby, Storm Thorgerson, Noah Baumbach.
Q: What do you think your stories are about on a deeper level?
A: Population control.
Q: Where did you get your dry humor and acerbic wit?
A: From this blackjack dealer at Cache Creek. His name was Fingers.
Q: What is one characteristic you'd like to change about yourself?
A: I'd like to grow a tight Greek perm like Luke Ridnour of the Seattle Supersonics, only with more activator juice, and natural fruits and berries. To me, a perm has to be wet and tight.
Q: What makes you happy?
A: Lobbing oranges into the swimming pool next door. I love that dooomp sound.
Q: How do you get these models to work with you?
A: I wear a speedo during the shoot.
Q: Who are you rebelling against?
A: Tiwanna from Bank of America. She's got a lot of nerve calling herself a Financial Adviser.
Q: What is your favorite karoake song?
A: Lionel Richie's Easy Like Sunday Morning. If I'm feeling it, I can bring the house down.
Q: Do you have any advice for the kids?
A: Eat your veggies. And don't smoke crack.
Q: Who are some of your artistic influences?
A: Wes Anderson, Stanley Kubrick, Lynn Ramsey, Anton Newcombe, Richard Billingham, William T. Vollman, Julie Orringer, Amy Hempel, Tim O'Brien, Stanley Donwood, Darren Aronofsky, Joan Didion, Bradley Nowell, Thom Yorke, Raymond Carver, Jack Kerouac, Fiona Apple, Colin Oberst, David Sedaris, Jt Leroy, Chuck Palahniuk, Sherman Alexie, Vincent Gallo, Denis Johnson, Robert Frank, Harmony Korine, Henry Miller, Albert Camus, Tom Waits, Jackson Pollock, Dave Eggers, Jack White, Jack Nicholson, Sean Penn, Paul Thomas Anderson, The Coen Brothers, Stephen Malkmus, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Danny Boyle, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Bill Murray, Kurt Cobain, David Fincher, Nan Goldin, Ian McEwan, Kurt Vonnegut, Hubert Selby, Storm Thorgerson, Noah Baumbach.
Q: What do you think your stories are about on a deeper level?
A: Population control.
Q: Where did you get your dry humor and acerbic wit?
A: From this blackjack dealer at Cache Creek. His name was Fingers.
Q: What is one characteristic you'd like to change about yourself?
A: I'd like to grow a tight Greek perm like Luke Ridnour of the Seattle Supersonics, only with more activator juice, and natural fruits and berries. To me, a perm has to be wet and tight.
Q: What makes you happy?
A: Lobbing oranges into the swimming pool next door. I love that dooomp sound.
Q: How do you get these models to work with you?
A: I wear a speedo during the shoot.
Q: Who are you rebelling against?
A: Tiwanna from Bank of America. She's got a lot of nerve calling herself a Financial Adviser.
Q: What is your favorite karoake song?
A: Lionel Richie's Easy Like Sunday Morning. If I'm feeling it, I can bring the house down.
Q: Do you have any advice for the kids?
A: Eat your veggies. And don't smoke crack.