Biography
A solitary recording sufficed to establish ? & the Mysterians as enduring figures in garage rock: the keyboard-fueled chart-topper “96 Tears.” Frontman Question Mark—whose name he formally altered to the punctuation mark itself—projected an air of enigma by refusing to appear publicly without wraparound sunglasses. He often asserted an origin on Mars, a previous existence among dinosaurs, and messages from the future that foretold his performance of “96 Tears” in the year 10,000. On firmer ground, the group’s use of Farfisa and Vox organs helped define the lo-fi science-fiction atmosphere of early garage rock; although most listeners assumed a Farfisa powered the hit, ? later confirmed the Vox. The Mysterians also ranked among the earliest Latino rock acts to score a major success, and ?’s disdainful demeanor positioned him as a key precursor in the shift from garage rock toward punk.
Bassist Larry Borjas, his cousin guitarist Bobby Balderrama, and drummer Robert Martinez formed the Mysterians in 1962. They were soon joined by vocalist ?—widely believed to be Robert’s brother Rudy Martinez, though some accounts name him Reeto Rodriguez—and organist Frank Rodriguez. Most sources indicate that all members were born in Texas to Mexican families and raised in Michigan’s Saginaw/Bay City region. Adopting their name from a Japanese science-fiction film, the band debuted in the small town of Adrian in 1964 before relocating its base from Saginaw to Flint. Military service removed both Borjas and Martinez, who were replaced by bassist Frank Lugo and Eddie Serrato, brother-in-law to the Martinez siblings. Shortly afterward ? presented lyrics for a new composition titled “Too Many Teardrops”; the title was altered first to “69 Tears” and then to the less provocative “96 Tears.” The track gained local popularity at the Mt. Holly ski lodge, a regular venue for the group, leading to a 1966 recording for the small Pa-Go-Go label run by their manager. Regional success in Flint and Detroit drew attention from major labels, and ? chose Philadelphia’s Cameo-Parkway because its orange label color appealed to him.
With wider distribution secured, “96 Tears” climbed to number one in the fall of 1966 and became a defining garage-rock classic. The self-titled debut album 96 Tears appeared before year’s end, as did the follow-up single “I Need Somebody,” which peaked just outside the Top 20. Early 1967 brought the modest hit “Can’t Get Enough of You Baby,” yet the second album, Action, underperformed commercially. Financial troubles at Cameo-Parkway culminated in its acquisition by ABKCO’s Allen Klein, prompting the Mysterians’ departure. Subsequent singles on Capitol in 1968 and on Tangerine and Super K in 1969 failed to chart, though bassist Mel Schacher briefly played with the band before joining Grand Funk Railroad. An album recorded for Ray Charles’ TRC imprint remained unreleased.
In the early 1970s ? reassembled the group for singles on Chicory in 1972 and Luv in 1973, neither of which gained traction. Balderrama briefly led the band Inflight during the decade while ? left music to breed dogs. The original lineup reconvened in 1978 for demo sessions with Kim Fowley and staged a 1984 reunion show in Dallas whose recordings later appeared on ROIR; that same year they supported Tex-Mex artist Joe “King” Carrasco. Guided once more by voices from the future, ? reunited the band in 1997 with Balderrama, Rodriguez, Lugo, and Robert Martinez. Because Allen Klein declined to reissue the original catalog or license “96 Tears” for anthologies—leaving it absent from Rhino’s Nuggets box set—the group re-recorded its debut for Collectables under the name Question Mark & the Mysterians. A 1998 live album, Do You Feel It Baby?, captured at Coney Island High and issued by Norton Records, was well received by garage-rock enthusiasts. The following year brought the two-disc set More Action on Cavestomp!, later condensed into the 2001 single-disc Feel It!: The Very Best of Question Mark & the Mysterians. Balderrama meanwhile formed the blues-oriented Robert Lee Band, which performed around Michigan and released a self-titled album on the local Bullfrog label. Although no official CD of the band’s original recordings has appeared, Action received a remastered vinyl reissue in 2016.
Bassist Larry Borjas, his cousin guitarist Bobby Balderrama, and drummer Robert Martinez formed the Mysterians in 1962. They were soon joined by vocalist ?—widely believed to be Robert’s brother Rudy Martinez, though some accounts name him Reeto Rodriguez—and organist Frank Rodriguez. Most sources indicate that all members were born in Texas to Mexican families and raised in Michigan’s Saginaw/Bay City region. Adopting their name from a Japanese science-fiction film, the band debuted in the small town of Adrian in 1964 before relocating its base from Saginaw to Flint. Military service removed both Borjas and Martinez, who were replaced by bassist Frank Lugo and Eddie Serrato, brother-in-law to the Martinez siblings. Shortly afterward ? presented lyrics for a new composition titled “Too Many Teardrops”; the title was altered first to “69 Tears” and then to the less provocative “96 Tears.” The track gained local popularity at the Mt. Holly ski lodge, a regular venue for the group, leading to a 1966 recording for the small Pa-Go-Go label run by their manager. Regional success in Flint and Detroit drew attention from major labels, and ? chose Philadelphia’s Cameo-Parkway because its orange label color appealed to him.
With wider distribution secured, “96 Tears” climbed to number one in the fall of 1966 and became a defining garage-rock classic. The self-titled debut album 96 Tears appeared before year’s end, as did the follow-up single “I Need Somebody,” which peaked just outside the Top 20. Early 1967 brought the modest hit “Can’t Get Enough of You Baby,” yet the second album, Action, underperformed commercially. Financial troubles at Cameo-Parkway culminated in its acquisition by ABKCO’s Allen Klein, prompting the Mysterians’ departure. Subsequent singles on Capitol in 1968 and on Tangerine and Super K in 1969 failed to chart, though bassist Mel Schacher briefly played with the band before joining Grand Funk Railroad. An album recorded for Ray Charles’ TRC imprint remained unreleased.
In the early 1970s ? reassembled the group for singles on Chicory in 1972 and Luv in 1973, neither of which gained traction. Balderrama briefly led the band Inflight during the decade while ? left music to breed dogs. The original lineup reconvened in 1978 for demo sessions with Kim Fowley and staged a 1984 reunion show in Dallas whose recordings later appeared on ROIR; that same year they supported Tex-Mex artist Joe “King” Carrasco. Guided once more by voices from the future, ? reunited the band in 1997 with Balderrama, Rodriguez, Lugo, and Robert Martinez. Because Allen Klein declined to reissue the original catalog or license “96 Tears” for anthologies—leaving it absent from Rhino’s Nuggets box set—the group re-recorded its debut for Collectables under the name Question Mark & the Mysterians. A 1998 live album, Do You Feel It Baby?, captured at Coney Island High and issued by Norton Records, was well received by garage-rock enthusiasts. The following year brought the two-disc set More Action on Cavestomp!, later condensed into the 2001 single-disc Feel It!: The Very Best of Question Mark & the Mysterians. Balderrama meanwhile formed the blues-oriented Robert Lee Band, which performed around Michigan and released a self-titled album on the local Bullfrog label. Although no official CD of the band’s original recordings has appeared, Action received a remastered vinyl reissue in 2016.
Albums
