Otto von Stroheim

Author/Disc Jockey/Publisher/Promoter Otto von Stroheim got his Exotica start when struck on the head with a coconut in 1994 during one of his ten annual backyard luaus in Venice, CA. The blow made him determined to publish his tiki (bar) travel memoirs resulting in the award-winning ‘zine Tiki News (1995 - 2001). After launching Tiki News, Otto set out to publicize it by DJing and hosting Exotica-related events. The first of which was “Exoticon” in October 1995 with Combustible Edison - the first Tiki/Exotica music festival ever. In 1996 Otto teamed with La Luz Gallery to launch the world’s first group Tiki art exhibit “21st Century Tiki” featuring Mark Ryden, Shag, and nearly 100 other artists.

Since arriving in San Francisco in 1996 Otto has curated and published catalogs for three “Tiki Art Now” group shows, booked monthly live-music Surf shows for a few years, made over 500 DJ appearances, hosted film nights, penned magazine articles, appeared on TV, MCed for events, and since 2001 (with his wife Baby Doe) produced and hosted the first and largest Tiki convention in the world - “Tiki Oasis.”