? and the Mysterians (also
Question Mark & the Mysterians or
Question Mark and the Mysterians) are an American rock and roll band formed in Flint, Michigan in 1962. The group is best known for their song
, a garage rock classic recorded in 1966, which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. ? & the Mysterians are also notable as perhaps the first Latino rock group to have a major hit.
The frontman of the band was Question Mark, real name is believed to be Rudy Martinez, but who later legally changed his name to ?. His somewhat eccentric behavior helped establish the group in the national consciousness for a period.
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He claimed (and still claims) to be a Martian who lived with dinosaurs in a past life, and he never appears in public without his sunglasses. He also claims that "voices" told him he would still be performing "96 Tears" in the year 10,000. The group named itself after the 1957 Japanese science fiction film The Mysterians, in which aliens from the destroyed planet Mysteroid arrive to conquer Earth.
The original lineup was formed in 1962, comprising Larry Borjas (bass), Borjas' cousin Robert Balderrama (guitar) and Robert Martinez (drums). They soon added Frank Rodriguez (organ) and Rudy Rodriguez on vocals. These Mexican-American musicians were mostly born in Texas but grew up in Michigan. Borjas and Robert Martinez were soon drafted, and Frank Lugo (bass) and Eddie Serrato (drums) replaced them.
? soon wrote the song that would become their first and only hit. Originally titled "Too Many Teardrops," it was later dubbed "69 Tears," then "96 Tears." With Rodriguez's catchy Vox organ riff and its plaintive chorus, "96 Tears" was originally recorded as a single for local Pa-Go-Go Records, owned by the group's manager.
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