Shut Up You Animals!!! The Pope is Dead - A Remembrance of Dirk Dirksen

A autobiography of Dirk Dirksen and his rise as the promoter of the Mabuhay Gardens as told by Dirk Dirksen.

Dirk Dirksen almost single-handedly made the early beginnings of Punk Rock possible in San Francisco, by providing an all-ages, low-admission-charge venue where anybody could play and almost nobody was rejected. He suffered 7 broken noses, a broken ankle, an above-elbow replacement and various internal injuries while fending off deluded humans who mistakenly equated "Punk Rock" with violence--a notion implanted by corporate media, the enemy of authentic cultural evolution everywhere. From 1974-1984 (or was it 1986?) Dirk curated thousands of shows at the Mabuhay Gardens, 443 Broadway, and the upstairs On Broadway Theater.

This is Dirk Dirksen's story told to us by Dirk Dirksen and some of his friends, enemies, onlookers and assorted hangers on. Dirk was a multifaceted person.

Stories by music critic Joel Selvin; Mabuhay owner Ness Aquino; Rolling Stone writer Michael Goldberg; poet Peter Urban; Ginger Coyote of Punk Globe; Jennifer Egan; Jennifer Blowdryer; artst Winston Smith; and many more from band members and attendees of the Mabuhay.

Dirk Dirksen had been involved in show business one way or another most of his life, usually on the production end of things in Hollywood working on game shows, movies, television even a Surf Shop in Santa Cruz.

Where Dirk achieved his notoriety was his association with the Mabuhay Gardens and Punk Rock. The "Pope of Punk" as he was to be known started out at the Mabuhay producing variety shows at the Mab on off nights, usually Mondays.