Question Mark and the Mysterians

Question Mark and the Mysterians (also known as ? and the Mysterians) are a long-running American garage rock band originating from Bay City and Saginaw in Michigan. The group were formed in 1962 by Larry Borjas, Robert Martinez, and Bobby Balderrama. Initially influenced by surf rock bands like Link Wray and Duane Eddy, they started out performing locally. In 1965, Rudy "Question Mark" Martinez joined as lead vocalist, adopting a mysterious image inspired by the 1957 Japanese science fiction film The Mysterians. The band's breakthrough came with their first single "96 Tears", released in April 1966. Produced under Pa-Go-Go Records and later distributed nationally by Cameo-Parkway Records, "96 Tears" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in October of that year, selling over one million copies and earning a gold disc from the RIAA. This success was followed by notable singles such as "I Need Somebody" and "Can't Get Enough of You Baby", although none matched the chart performance of "96 Tears". The band's debut album, 96 Tears, and subsequent releases like Action failed to replicate this commercial success. Question Mark and the Mysterians disbanded in 1969 but have regrouped periodically, releasing additional material, including 96 Tears Forever: The Dallas Reunion Tapes in 1985 and Question Mark & the Mysterians in 1997.

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