So Long, Dirk, You Irascible Madman
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Artist:
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Album:Fun Terminal
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Track:Opposite World
The word was passed last night. Dirk Dirksen, godfather of San Francisco punk-rock, had died in his sleep. It was a surprisingly peaceful way for the ever-industrious, insult-spewing old boy to go.He was a character as colorful as the loud-mouthed, spiky-haired, leather-clad, torn-and-frayed fans who thrashed their way into the shows that he used to produce seven nights a week at the now-defunct Mabuhay Gardens, a Filipino restaurant on San Francisco’s Broadway strip. The Fab Mab, as it came to be known, was not a great success as a restaurant before Dirk began presenting the sour cream of local, national and international punk-rock bands there. But he fostered a D.I.Y. music scene that filled the joint most nights in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s and spiraled out to other San Francisco venues such as the Deaf Club, the Farm, and Temple Beautiful.
Dirk DirksenAs my friend and colleague Michael Goldberg noted in an earlier posting on his MOG page (http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/26909), the roster of bands that Dirk brought to the Mab was a genuine Who’s Who of punk and new wave. My first live exposure to DEVO, Blondie, the Dead Kennedys, and even Chris Isaak happened at the Mab. And the club was crucial to the development of the most significant San Francisco punk bands, including the Kennedys, the Avengers, the Mutants, Tuxedomoon and the Nuns.I had the distinct honor of trading barbs with Dirksen on a regular basis, and even emceeing a few shows with him, and I was endlessly amused by his invectives. I can also tell you that he really loved what he did. Despite the venomous words that he directed at any and all of the acts he presented and at the customers who paid the bills, he was a true believer in the capability of great music to transfix and transform. And make no mistake. He was inordinately fond of the musicians and their followers, and the poster artists and pundits who supported the scene.Dirk fancied himself a patron of these rough arts, and indeed, he was. He will be remembered - and missed.
Dirk DirksenAs my friend and colleague Michael Goldberg noted in an earlier posting on his MOG page (http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/26909), the roster of bands that Dirk brought to the Mab was a genuine Who’s Who of punk and new wave. My first live exposure to DEVO, Blondie, the Dead Kennedys, and even Chris Isaak happened at the Mab. And the club was crucial to the development of the most significant San Francisco punk bands, including the Kennedys, the Avengers, the Mutants, Tuxedomoon and the Nuns.I had the distinct honor of trading barbs with Dirksen on a regular basis, and even emceeing a few shows with him, and I was endlessly amused by his invectives. I can also tell you that he really loved what he did. Despite the venomous words that he directed at any and all of the acts he presented and at the customers who paid the bills, he was a true believer in the capability of great music to transfix and transform. And make no mistake. He was inordinately fond of the musicians and their followers, and the poster artists and pundits who supported the scene.Dirk fancied himself a patron of these rough arts, and indeed, he was. He will be remembered - and missed.
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