Selector: Rad Brian Is Ready for Simmer Down Sound 5 Year Anniversary

Rad Brain is yet another multitalented member of the Simmer Down Sound crew.  An iconic Chicago DJ and resident at Simmer Down, Rad Brian is the owner of Odd Obsession Movies, a niche video store in Chicago’s Wicker Park which purveys foreign, classic and independent genre films meant to open new mental spaces

When we asked Brian about the intersection of these interests, he explained “I definitely came to reggae through movies. Before I even thought of collecting reggae and dancehall vinyl, I was watching Jamaican cinema, classic films like “Country Man,” “The Harder They Come,” “Rockers” and “Smile Orange.” Reggae music was everywhere in these movies, so I couldn’t help but latch onto it. The soundtracks to these movies cover a “who’s who” of the 70’s and early 80’s scene. I started to really study the music, picking up as many 45’s from this era as I could find. The number of versions vocalized on the same riddim and variations in between blew my mind. From a collector’s standpoint, I began to see how awesome and seemingly never-ending that was.”

Rad Brian’s affinity for reggae and film brings a unique element to Simmer Down Sound as he curates and screens Western and martial arts films at our events, creating a visual aspect to the night which is a strangely perfect counterpoint to reggae music.  In addition to bringing his film aficionado skills to bear at Simmer Down, Brian brings his unique and wide-ranging vinyl collection to his DJ sets.  “Dancehall 45’s brought out the collector in me,” he says. “It quickly became my calling to try and find as many versions of a particular riddim as possible!”

Brian’s many other talents include his African music and hip-hop DJ skills.  He ran a monthly DJ night under his Odd Obsession brand at The Whistler and was also featured at a hip hop monthly hosted by Pseudo Slang.  Finally rounding out his already impressive resume, Brian also curates an exceptional collection of Ghanaian movie posters at Deadly Prey Gallery, a space co-created by Brian and his sister.   

While clearly a devotee to all art forms, Rad Brian pays particular homage to the special power of reggae music as a positive social force, saying “Music heals when so many other things can hurt. Reggae music is typically recognized as one of the most positive genres of music for good reason. While certain themes in dancehall music throughout the years might not always be thought of as clean and kind, nevertheless its empowering nature bleeds out strong and cannot be ignored.”  We at Simmer Down Sound could not agree more, and are thrilled to again feature Renaissance man Rad Brian at our Fifth Anniversary, this Saturday, May 13th at Subterranean!