Question mark and the Mysterions was an American garage rock band formed in 1965 in Cleveland, Ohio. The band was known for its distinctive sound, which was characterized by fuzzed-out guitars, pounding drums, and the high-pitched vocals of lead singer Rudy Martinez (?-2023). The Mysterions’ most famous song, “96 Tears,” was a Top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1966 and has since become a garage rock classic.
The Mysterions were one of the first bands to achieve commercial success with a garage rock sound. Their success helped to pave the way for other garage rock bands, such as the Seeds, the Standells, and the Thirteenth Floor Elevators. The Mysterions were also one of the first bands to use feedback and distortion as musical elements, which would later become common techniques in rock music.
