Simon Abrams

Jan 24, 2025 | yahoo.com | Simon Abrams

At the beginning of “Sly Lives (aka The Burden of Black Genius)”, revered drummer turned documentary filmmaker Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson asks a handful of celebrity interview subjects if they can define the concept of “Black genius.” Musicians like Michael Eugene Archer (aka: D’Angelo), Andre “3000” Benjamin, and Yvette Marie Stevens (Chaka Khan) initially laugh in response, but in time, they all talk about the loaded expectations that comes with being a Black artist and role model.

Jan 24, 2025 | flipboard.com | Simon Abrams

Kerry King Opens Up On Slayer Fans, Names 'Craziest' Thing That Happened To Him During A Show"I was on Jeff's side, and we both saw it at the same time. We both just put our heads down because we were both just laughing."

Dec 27, 2024 | nytimes.com | Simon Abrams

Streaming services have been searching for the next "Squid Game" ever since the meteoric 2021 debut of the series, a bloody Korean tale of dystopian class warfare whose first season is the most-watched series in Netflix history.

Sep 1, 2024 | simonofthedesert.substack.com | Simon Abrams

“Hello, I’d like to file a complaint about Pixies, please.”Ten years ago, a newly reformed Pixies released “Indie Cindy,” an inessential, but acceptable comeback that nobody really asked for. I still remember the excessive hostility that greeted that album. Why call yourself Pixies if you’re not going to have the full original lineup? I dunno, man, because the Breeders still exist and so do those good Black Francis/Frank Black/Frank Black and the Catholics albums, and also, how old are you anyway?

Aug 25, 2024 | simonofthedesert.substack.com | Simon Abrams

It’s not The Truman Show, it’s SUCCESSOR. Hellooooo, baaaby. Simon of the Desert is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Summer’s winding down, so my writing/movie-watching schedule remains a bit more all over the place than I’d like. Things will hopefully even out soon. While I’m here, I wanted to let you kind folks know about a couple of noteworthy items from this past week.