You'd have to search pretty hard for a more incredible rock & roll act than ? & The Mysterians. Formed in 1962 in Saginaw, Michigan, the Mexican-American teens named themselves after a late night TV sci-fi flick The Mysterians. They scored a #1 hit with 96 Tears in the sultry summer of '66, released a couple of amazing LPs and 45s and then vaporized from show biz and seemingly the planet. In 1997 "the voices from the future" called the boys back into action and The Mysterians dutifully heeded that call.
Beating the dreaded "oldies curse," the re-energized Mysterians delivered their Vox-driven rock & soul stage show to stunned audiences coast to coast. Bedecked in matching orange shirts emblazoned with large black question marks, the original band members laid it on thick with their soulful Michigan (by way of Texas, by way of Mars) rock & roll beat. Frontman Question Mark's boundless energy and sheer unearthly talent went uncontested as he rocked the Mysterians into the new millennium.
Coincidentally, three of the best live shows I've ever seen are Mysterians shows. First up was their NYC comeback at Coney Island High (recorded for the Can You Feel It? LP) where they scorched the place to the ground (musically speaking). Second was a few months later at Central Park Summerstage where Q appeared to have dropped out of the sky and turned a jaded daytime New York audience on it's collective ear. Third show was at Lakeside Lounge where they electrified the telephone booth-sized room as well as entertaining the passersby outside the window on Avenue B.
Question Mark's stats are simple: He hails from Mars, celebrates his birthday on the 13th of every month, his favorite color is orange (rumor has it a new favorite color is in the works) and he hates peanut butter. He's also one of the friendliest, funniest and coolest lead singer superstars working the circuit these days.
Last week Q's house (which also was home to his manager and his manager's wife) caught fire and he lost all of his possessions along with some of his beloved animals. Without any insurance, they're living in a trailer until better circumstances can be worked out. Benefit concerts are being arranged and info for helping out Question Mark can be found here.
Question Mark is no stranger to FMU and has appeared several times on these airwaves. Check out this clip of an unfinished Mysterians documentary. Click on the trailer for a cameo by the Black Hole of Rock & Roll.
The Mysterians had lots of cool songs but their original of 96 Tears was, is and will always be the greatest song in the world. (mp3)
96 Tears gets the Big Maybelle treatment over here. (mp3)
The Music Explosion take a cool stab at it here. (mp3)
Modern Lovers give it an angst-ridden, yet spirited rendition here but end up sounding like a roomful of retarded monkeys. (mp3)
Here's a swell Roctober article on ? & The Mysterians.
Here's a wild clip of ? & The Mysterians lip-synching on Where The Action Is. (You Tube)
Thanks for the ? info. What a wild group! This single, and perhaps a few other releases, were on the famed Cameo-Parkway label based here in Philly, home of early rock'n'roll idols Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Bobby Rydell, and Chubby Checker.
Posted by: phillyradiogeek | January 18, 2007 at 06:27 PM
yeah, and if you haven't listened to any Fabian cuz he was a cheep teen idol, well you have made a mistake. he's pretty good. that sucks about question mark. they are great! i hope things work out for him. i'll be lookin for benefit shows.
Posted by: lee | January 18, 2007 at 06:46 PM
Agreed. The best live show I've ever seen was ? at Fuzzfest in Atlanta in 1997. They played right after Fortune & Maltese. Nothing will ever surpass the excitement of that show.
Send him all your money now!
Question Mark and the Mysterians
P.O. Box 96
Clio, Mi 48420
Posted by: Debbie Daughtry | January 19, 2007 at 11:24 AM
P.S. How was he able to get P.O. Box 96?!
Posted by: Debbie Daughtry | January 19, 2007 at 11:31 AM
Question Mark is also a renowned poodle breeder. Pretty strange for a guy from outer space. In the summer of 1996, the Saginaw oldies station WHNN, "Oldies 96," used "96 Tears" as part of their summer contest promotion. I always thought that it was repitition of their original hit every hour on the hour for a four month stretch that prompted them to come out of retirement.
YouTube has their video for "96 Tears":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkvK638yKuY
Posted by: Jonny | January 19, 2007 at 12:55 PM
Thanks for linking to our 96 Tears Fund site! BTW, the benefit show has been confirmed for FRIDAY MARCH 30th at OFF BROADWAY in St. Louis... ? and The Mysterians with The Gentleman Callers and The Nevermores. Please check our site for more info!
Posted by: kopper | January 19, 2007 at 03:18 PM
does anyone know where to find 96 tears spanish version: 96 lagrimas?
Posted by: laur | January 19, 2007 at 11:13 PM
i have a copy of "96 lagrimas" single- re-issue from spain- its the b-side of "cheree." its from munster records in madrid. the addy is www.munster-records.com
Posted by: john marion | February 05, 2007 at 12:06 AM
I have a Mysterians 45 of Ramcharger/Loraine on Sterian records - I think from 1965. Does anyone know more about Sterian records and the song Ramcharger.
Thanks
Posted by: michael christmas | May 23, 2007 at 12:52 AM
Hi and thanks for the excellent ? & The Mysterians post. Special thanks also for the Big Maybelle cover - excellent version that I have somewhere in the vinyl archive on her fantastic "Pure Soul of.." album.
Posted by: Cheeky_Pete | November 21, 2007 at 05:46 AM