Eleven days later he goes to work with his mom and dad at Ralph Records, home to The Residents studio and record label. His early childhood years are spent absorbing the sounds, people, and culture of the San Francisco underground music scene and learning how they get their ideas out there with records and performances.
Begins "noodling" on a mini Casio and small plastic guitar. He spends many hours quietly playing beneath the keyboards as his Godfather works. He never misses a Residents rehearsal or show.
Simon "learns guitar" by mimicking London born guitarist Dave Edmunds and Residents' cohort Snakefinger (RIP) during rehearsals for the 13th Anniversary Tour. Plays lefty, like Philip, at first.
Si writes and records his first song, "Baby a Monster" (several years before it is featured anonymously on Goobers, a compilation of songs for children).
He learns heartbreak when he hears of Snakefinger's death on tour. To help Si understand better, The Residents explain that "Phillip's heart was the size of a baby's heart".
Si forms his first band, The Foo Foo Heads, and releases "We Don't Talk to Strangers" on a 12" single shared by magician Penn Jillette with his rendition of "Great Green Gobs".
Si moves east with mom and stepfather (Half Japanese frontman) and begins to meet and mingle backstage and in the studio with New York musicians.
Mom and Simon go to Philadelphia to meet with Sun Ra. Simon keeps remarking how Sun Ra's house looks just like Ralph Records. They visit and enjoy each other immensly.
Simon forms The Stinky Puffs with Don Fleming and puts out a 7" ep.
A disc jockey/Stinky Puffs fan introduces Simon to the music of Nirvana and Simon sends a copy of his record to Kurt Cobain.
During a recording session, Simon's drum machine breaks and he asks his mother, taught drums as a girl by her San Francisco beatnik musician father, to join the band. Later they are joined by Cody Ranaldo and Eric Eble.
Continues to write and record. Records another Foo Foo Heads cut, "Just Be You", this time joined by another Resident child and Eric Drew Feldman (Capt. Beefheart, PJ Harvey) on keys and producing.
Learn Kurt Cobain has given a nod to The Stinky Puffs in liner notes to Nirvana release Incesticide. He begins writing and sending tapes to Kurt. Later they meet and immediately bond; talking about music. He also meets other Nirvana members and Cobain's wife Courtney Love.
Plays live first in New York at the Knitting Factory drumming for Jad Fair.
Simon accompanies Nirvana on "In Utero" tour. Befriends Krist and Dave.
Si decides he really wants to start playing live and plays his first Stinky Puffs gig at the Lower East Side Church. He later goes gigs at CBGB's and at the Coney Island Side Show.
As a grand finale in the last US "In Utero" show, Simon is invited onstage to play guitar with Nirvana. Afterwards, he is prodded to smash up the guitar (he gleefully obliged as the audience roared).
His last visit with Cobain is at the MTV's Nirvana Unplugged taping when Simon and Kurt make plans to record together in the following spring.
Kurt Cobain dies; devastating Simon. He receives calls and letters of consolation from friends and Nirvana business associates around the world.
Several months later Simon's stepfather moves out in secret one day; never since has Simon or his mom seen him. Again devastated, Si decides he will make a record for kids who are suddenly abandoned to help them throught it, "since I've been through twice in such a short time", he said.
Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl join The Puffs for a 45 minute set backing up Simon. His "I'll Love You Anyway", written for Kurt, brought tears and healing.
Playing live, Tae Kwon Do (blue belt), schooling (just received academic award); reading loads and digging his pets; writing a great many new songs and recording them for Something Smells Funny in Here" (which will be produced by Eric Drew Feldman); being a sweet man and having FUN!
They catch a visit from me in their pad in the last week of 1997. Pictures of it here.