? and the Mysterians

Saturday, Feb 24, 2007, there’s a benefit in Brooklyn for Rudy Martinez aka “Question Mark” the singer and songwriter of 96 Tears. His house burned down on January 9, and he lost all of his memorabilia, including the actual Farfisa on which Mysterians’ organist Frank Rodriguez played the famous 96 Tears riff. There’s a moving video of Question Mark walking through the wreckage at http://96tears.net/ and if you want to donate something to Rudy, you can do it there.

Come out to the Laila Lounge, 113 N. 7th St. (near the L train at Bedford) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. There will be bands from 8 pm until 11, then djs including Phast Phreddie, Mike Lynch and myself, and a raffle of rare 60’s movie posters. Only $5, and all proceeds will go to Question Mark.

Most people familiar with garage will know their famous songs “96 Tears”, “I Need Somebody”, “‘8’ Teen”, so I’m including just a few lesser-known tracks as samples of their sound.

The version of “96 Tears” here is an earlier, slower take. It’s good, but I don’t think this version would have gotten them to #1 on the charts. “Ten O’Clock” is one of the best songs from their first lp, and was never released on 45. The soulful “Ain’t It a Shame” is from a 1969 single on the Tangerine label (? has a thing for the color orange, supposedly signing with Cameo-Parkway and Tangerine because of the color of their labels!)

? and the Mysterians cut plenty of good garage songs, and I definitely can recommend either of their original lps or the ‘Best of’ compilaton for those who want to hear more.

6 thoughts on “? and the Mysterians”

  1. Question Mark and the Mysterians still rock admirably, but it was a bit unsettling to talk to someone who alleged contact with future space aliens, as ? did in speaking with me (and others).

  2. They still play these guys on major oldies radio stations here in chicago.

    also my dad told me a story once where they played here in the neighborhood and the lead singer got knocked out at a party here in bridgeport.haha.

  3. I understand what you are saying about question mark but you have to see the documentary of question mark and the mysterians, then you can laugh at the story
    about him being from mars and talking to aliens. cause the documentary seems like a
    sifi movie with alot of old and new footage of the original band. I think they made it
    seemed like it was a joke. I thought it was a cute story. they have a trailer on youtube,under 96 tears crazzy world,check it out.

  4. In interviewing Question Mark for Goldmine magazine in 1999 (and I’m sure I have the audiotape, still–I back up my evidence), he told me by telephone he either dreamt or ‘actually’ travelled to the future and met space aliens who told him “96 Tears” would be a hit again in the future. I’m not exaggerating or making this up, but it sure was not included in the article, by my choice, as it did not address the band’s history or anything that could be independently verified. If time travel were a known reality, we would have heard more about it by now. There is also nothing yet suggesting that garage band hits are being played on other planets.

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