About Me
Stand Out Selector, aka Steffen Franz is well known as a dancehall innovator. As a DJ/Producer/Remixer and the owner of PSM Recordings, he has been bringing his conscious reggae vibes to throngs of people from New York to the Hawaiian islands (and San Francisco in between). A New York City native, SOS moved to Maui, Hawaii in 1991, where he broke the freshest dancehall tracks to scores of local people, as well as tourists from around the globe, at Studio 505, a nightclub co-owned by Stephen Stills. During that time he also managed and produced Marty Dread & Culture Shock, easily the most popular reggae band in the islands.July of 1993 brought him to San Francisco, after spending the previous six months commuting back and forth between California & Maui, making connections and playing in such venues as Miss Pearl's Jam House & The Kennel Club among others. It was these connections that made the July move possible. Together with former partner Stefan G. (renowned video/multimedia specialist), Positive Sound Massive http://www.psmrecordings.com
a brand new concept in global sound systems, was formed. PSM, as a sound system, features an array of international vocalists, rappers, toasters and musicians, along with rapper Wookie J., whom SOS imported from Maui.Over the past few years, SOS has DJed at hundreds of shows throughout California, Nevada, Washington, New York and in Australia & New Zealand, where he played opening and break sets for the Beastie Boys "Hello Nasty" World Tour. He has produced three dozen multi-artist stage shows and the Nicodemus "Dancehall Giant Tour", as well as the last two Barrington Levy west coast tours. He has remixed tracks for artists such as: Barrington Levy "Work" (MCA), Capleton "Wings of the Morning" (DefJam/RAL), Beenie Man "Tear off Mi Garment" (Island JA); as well as produced tracks for artists such as Nicodemus, Shinehead, Ras Michael, Barrington Levy, Rocker-T, Jamalski, Wookie J., Karney, DJ Collage,æand SF local hip hop group New Dealers.Since forming PSM, SOS has been employed as Reggae Buyer for Rough Trade Records in San Francisco, and as Reggae Editor for American Music Press, a bay area music monthly. From 1994 through 1998, Steffen was the Production Manager for the Paradise Lounge and Transmission Theater in San Francisco and still found time to write and review for independent publications. Since leaving The Paradise Lounge in the summer of 1998, he has tour managed Mix Master Mike, traveling the globe on both of Mike's solo tours as well as with the Beastie Boys. SOS also fronts an alternative rock group called Crocodile Tears, plays bass in a Stoner Rockæband called Not For Not, as well as is a member of "biL" a dancehall, surf, hip hop, who-knows-what else conglomeration of excellence.This has been an exciting time for SOS as he has now opened a management company called aptly Positive Sound Management. PSManagement now represents Rocker-T, Poetz4Peace, Haji Mike,æand Karney, exclusively and has been consulting with a great number of other well known and up and coming artists. Look for an ever expanding stable of artists and bands in the years ahead.SOS continues to DJ and select at parties all over the west coast. Recent works include 4 of Stand Out's tracks being featured in the BET/Showtime movie "Lift", background music for a handful of shows on MTV and VH-1, a catalog of over 100 hip-hop and reggae beats,æplus an amazing project based in Cyprus called Poetz4Peace, with Haji Mike and Zeki Ali.SOS is also the managing parter and president of Independent Distribution Collective, a 4 year old, San Francisco based, CD and LP physical and digital distribution, marketing and promotion company that currently represents almost 250 titles.http://www.independentdistro.com
