? and the Mysterians
| ? and the Mysterians | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Bay City, Michigan, Saginaw, Michigan U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts | Grand Funk Railroad |
| Website | 96tears |
| Members | Rudy Martinez (Question Mark) Frankie Rodriguez Bobby Balderrama Robert Martinez Frank Lugo |
| Past members | Larry Borjas Eddie Serrato Mel Schacher Frank Montoya Jeff McDonald Paul Miller Richard Schultz Randy Hitt Dennis Dean Lack Timothy Reed Randy Iamurri Mark Bliesener |
? and the Mysterians (also rendered Question Mark and the Mysterians) are an American garage rock band from Bay City and Saginaw in Michigan, who were initially active between 1962 and 1969. Much of the band's music consisted of electric organ-driven instrumentals, and an enigmatic image inspired by the science fiction film The Mysterians. In addition, the band's sound was also marked by raw-resonating lead vocals of "?" (Question Mark), making Question Mark and the Mysterians one of the earliest groups whose musical style is described as punk rock. Through their music, the group was recognized as a template for similar musical acts to follow.
The band was signed to Pa-Go-Go Records in 1966 and released its first, and most acclaimed single, "96 Tears", in the early part of the year. "96 Tears" became a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and propelled the group to a 15-month period of national prominence. Their debut album, 96 Tears followed. Though Question Mark and the Mysterians were unable to replicate their success with their later recordings, they are mistakenly deemed a "one-hit wonder" and did manage to reach the singles charts on five different occasions. In 1968, their label, Cameo-Parkway, was shut down for stock manipulation by the Securities Exchange Commission, taking the band's money and contract with them. After their disbandment in 1969, the band has regrouped and released additional material over the years.
The band members were children of migrant farmers, traveling to Michigan to pick crops and returning to their homes in Texas when the harvest was complete. After the automobile boom in Michigan opened new opportunities for employment, the families moved to Bay City, Michigan. The original trio, consisting of Larry Borjas (guitar), Robert Martinez (drums), and Bobby Balderrama (lead guitar), encountered one another and were motivated by surf rock musical acts Link Wray and Duane Eddy to form a group in 1962. The band played locally with the same line-up until the influence of The British Invasion with groups stressing lead vocals and dynamic stage performances. Some cousins of a band member brought them Question Mark, known for his dancing ability. "?" quickly cemented himself as the group's creative force and they began to develop a blend of gritty rock and roll and pop rock, with a repertoire that encompassed compositions penned by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. To correspond with the new line-up, the band was addressed by the name ? and The Mysterians, which was inspired by the 1957 science fiction film, The Mysterians. While performing at a dance at Saginaw's G.I. Forum, The Mysterians met David Torres. Torres was astounded by the positive reaction of the crowd and the mysterious appearance of "?", who sported shades as a trademark at all times, and, for a brief period, was able to have the other members be known as "X", "Y", and "Z". After the interview, the band recruited a keyboard player, Frank Rodriguez, who was a part of another local group, the Trespassers. The acquisition of Rodriguez proved to be pivotal in Question Mark and the Mysterians overall sound, more specifically their song, "96 Tears".
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