The ’60s garage rockers Question Mark and The Mysterians return

By Eric Harabadian

It’s the electric organ that inspired generations of basement and garage bands everywhere. That unmistakable mix of a lightly percussive blues lick and staccato chord pattern laid the foundation for an enduring classic. The haunting anthem “96 Tears” emerged from a small, four-track recording studio in Bay City, Michigan, and was written by the hometown band Question Mark and the Mysterians in 1966.

The teenage quintet was named after a 1957 science fiction film called The Mysterians. A gifted dancer and vocalist named Rudy Martinez whole-heartedly adopted a mysterious persona in keeping with the band moniker. Calling himself “Question Mark” he claimed his soul originated on Mars and spouted other spacey rhetoric. The original recording band also included guitarist Bobby Balderrama, keyboardist Frank Rodriguez, bassist Frank Lugo and drummer Eddie Serrato.

The seeds of what would eventually come to be began in 1962. Founding member Balderrama recalls the origin of their journey. “I started the band and Robert (Martinez), Question Mark’s brother, was my drummer,” explains the guitarist. “At the time my nephew Larry (Borjas) was the bass player, too. We weren’t called the Mysterians at that time. Originally, we had no vocals. All we played were instrumentals like The Ventures. And I wanted to continue doing that kind of music, but that world was fading out, with bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones on the scene.”

Question Mark and the Mysterians signed with a San Antonio, Texas label Pa-Go-Go Records and released its first and most acclaimed single in the early part of 1966. “96 Tears” went to number No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and propelled the group to a successful run at touring, a series of select television appearances and were awarded Gold status by the RIAA for over one million copies sold. The song drew the attention of Cameo-Parkway Records president Neil Bogart, who purchased the rights to “96 Tears” and signed the band to his label.

The aforementioned rollicking riffs in question belonged to local protégé Rodriguez. Originally, he was trained to become a classical pianist, but soon broke out of that constrictive mold. “I first took piano lessons from a nun,” recalls the keyboardist. “And when you didn’t move your fingers right they’d slap your hand with a damn ruler. I told my mom I didn’t wanna take lessons from them anymore. They were really strict. This was when I was around 13 years old. I studied Chopin and all that stuff.”

But this was also around the time that Rodriguez was making the transition into playing rock and roll. He was a popular musician around the Saginaw/Bay City, Michigan area and involved himself with what The Mysterians were doing. So, he officially joined the band in February of 1966, turning 14 in March. “I didn’t think the song ’96 Tears’ was gonna go anywhere, but it did real good,” says Rodriguez. “A lot of people think my keyboard parts were done on a Farfisa or Vox Continental. But, actually, I recorded the song on a Hammond A1 organ, without the rotating Leslie speaker engaged.”

The structure of the Mexican-American band’s biggest hit, as with the majority of their catalog, was composed by Rodriguez, Balderrama and Question Mark. “Bobby did the bridge part, but when the song comes back in to the verse a lot of people think the song stays the same way,” explains Rodriguez. “But I stay on the ‘G’ for a measure or so and then we change. There’s a little pause before we go back into the verse. I’ve been playing that song and so many others for so long I don’t even have to look at the keyboard. I never hit a wrong note. 

"I would have to think really hard to make things come out wrong,” he laughs.

The song “96 Tears” was not only one of John Lennon’s favorites, but it was documented in 2004 by Rolling Stone magazine on their list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” And there is also an impressive list of musical luminaries that have covered the anthem, including Aretha Franklin, Big Maybelle, Iggy Pop, Thelma Houston, Todd Rundgren, The Stranglers, Garland Jeffreys and Inspiral Carpets.

Question Mark and the Mysterians released two official studio albums on Cameo-Parkway—their 1966 debut and the following year’s much anticipated LP Action. Follow up singles that have charted included “I Need Somebody,” “Girl (You Captivate Me)” and “Can’t Get Enough of You Baby,” but none have ever rivaled the legendary status of “96 Tears.”

So, one might ask, whatever happened to Question Mark and the Mysterians? Well, after they had their initial run, which ended in 1969, they all went their separate ways. But the members all remained active in various aspects of the music business. Question Mark pursued a solo career and Balderrama affiliated himself with Tex-Mex rocker Joe “King” Carrasco for a few years. In the ‘90s he also pursued his own Robert Lee Blues Band, with Frank Rodriguez. Out of that musical partnership emerged the smooth jazz sounds of the Robert Lee Revue. As a kid, Balderama was a devotee of guitarists like Link Wray, Nokie Edwards, Chet Atkins and Les Paul. But when he discovered Wes Montgomery and George Benson he found a true calling in improvised jazz and pop music. He has since gained notoriety in the jazz world as a guitar improviser of the highest order. Balderrama and Rodriguez collaborated with the group Le Sonic to produce the No. 1 Billboard Smooth Jazz tune of 2021, with “Any Moment.”

And, despite various extracurricular activities, Question Mark and the Mysterians have regrouped at various junctures. Throughout the years they’ve participated in limited tours and special events. They’ve even done occasional recording and released material on compilations. But everything came to a head around 10 or 12 years ago when Question Mark and his fellow Mysterians parted company. “We were playing in Columbus, Ohio, and we were having differences of opinion on things,” says Balderrama. “But we decided to keep things going and billed ourselves as just The Mysterians when we weren’t working with Question Mark. I kept the band booked in our local Michigan area. So, when Question Mark didn’t wanna travel no more, we took the direction of playing oldies in the bars. We never broke up. It was up to Question Mark whether he wanted to play or not, but we kept on going.”

There have been many configurations of The Mysterians’ personnel over the years, but the mainstays have always been Balderrama and Rodriguez. Their musical ingenuity, work ethic and commitment to excellence kept the band’s legacy and name intact. And their mix of oldies, rock instrumentals, smooth jazz delights and dedication to the hits seemed to satiate core fans and nostalgia buffs to an extent. However, the longing by a majority of the population for their classic and elusive front man relentlessly remained at the forefront of conversation.

“The Mysterians had been playing the bar scene and people would ask if Question Mark would be there,” explains Balderrama. “We’d always have to say that he’s not performing at this time. I know he had some health issues so he wanted to get past that. But he got in touch with me a few months ago and said he was interested in doing some shows again. But we weren’t interested in touring. We just wanted to do ‘one-off’ dates in places like New York, Chicago and Columbus where we could do weekends and fly back home.”

On Saturday November 11, 2023, the original assemblage of one of the first all Latino rock bands in the country performed a landmark show at the performance space called Brooklyn in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. The show was booked and promoted in association with a close friend and ally of the band named Rick Ruiner of Motor City glam band The Ruiners. The venue was nearly standing room only for sets by bands The Ruiners and Bat Hearse, with Question Mark and the Mysterians sandwiched between them as the headliners. The years of anticipation and self doubt for Question Mark and the band were finally being dealt with in front of their fans head on.

“We did a show in Linden, Michigan in mid-September just to get reacquainted and test the waters,” explains Balderrama. “A friend of ours Dave Hamilton even videotaped the performance to submit to booking agents. We did really good and that set us up well for the Detroit show. I was really looking forward to playing with Question Mark. We put on a homeless benefit concert in Saginaw/Bay City called ’96 Tears Day’ in 2019, but that was a benefit. It had been nearly 10 years since we did a show in front of a paying audience.”

The Detroit venue Brooklyn, located in a bustling warehouse and loft district, was packed with hundreds of anxious patrons vocally expressing love for the Latino proto-punkers. It was if they were celebrated warriors returning from battle. The band did not disappoint, and hit the stage with a verve and bravado reserved for a group half their age. They dove into a bevy of classic cover songs that seemed to connect with the diverse crowd from the get go. Balderrama, Rodriguez, Lugo, Robert Martinez, with long-time saxophonist Tom Barsheff kept the audience on their feet for letter perfect takes on The Kingmen’s “Louie Louie,” Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs’ “Wooly Bully,” Richie Valens’ “La Bamba” and Jr. Walker’s soul nugget “Shotgun.” There was even space for some guest drumming by longtime friend and occasional sideman to the band and early member of Meat Loaf’s band and The Bossmen, Pete Woodman.

The Mysterians played with all the gusto of a timeless Motown revue. They effectively paved the way for the main event which, undoubtedly, was Question Mark himself. He stealthily made his way center stage adorned in his signature garb of gold lame sash jacket, black wide brim hat, shades, long jet back hair and tight black slacks. His look was, indeed, striking as he belted out the first song of his segment, with one of their early hits “I Need Somebody.” It’s essentially a soul song built on a vamp and Question Mark dug into that groove for all its worth. The 70-something front man had battled some health issues and had been away from the spotlight for a number of years but sang with the raw power of someone who wanted to give the crowd his all. And he delivered on the next song as well in Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me.” The band provided an extended instrumental lead-in before it went into the standard verse. Question Mark did some of his traditional adlibbing with the audience and that brought the fervor and excitement in the room to a fever pitch. The band and lead singer worked with dynamics and saturated the song, with a gospel-like edge. The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction” followed and has always been a cover that Question Mark has, arguably, made his own, as the flock seemed to respond in kind.

But, let’s not kid ourselves, their entire set culminated in a tumult of rapturous applause when Frank Rodriguez broke into that iconic organ introduction to “96 Tears.” Rudy “Question Mark” Martinez has, perhaps, physically slowed down a pace or two, but he still gestured wildly to the crowd, sang his heart out and connected in a manner that Mick Jagger might be envious of. Think about it, all things being equal, he can reach out and literally touch hundreds of fans in a way the Stones can rarely do. Question Mark and the Mysterians rocked the house and it surely was a performance that will resonate with audiences young and old for a very long time.

So, the band music journalist Dave Marsh initially dubbed “punk rock” in a 1971 issue of Creem magazine, is still delivering the goods. They began as children of migrant workers that settled in Michigan, but they went on to accomplish what few were able to do. And, from the look and feel of this appreciative Detroit audience they have the impetus to keep things going as long as they choose.

“We’ve been playing together so long we’ve continued to do what we’ve always done,” says Rodriguez on the band’s legacy and status. “I don’t think we’re doing anything different. I think we’ve got the technique and style just like The Rolling Stones. And we were out there when they started, too.”