Question Mark & the Mysterians
Live @ White’s
July 27th, 2013
I eagerly
anticipated the return of Question Mark & the Mysterians to White’s Bar. I
am a longtime fan, having met Question Mark (Rudy Martinez) back in 1966 when
he and his family lived on the 800 block of Howard Street right next door to my
cousin Sally Rork. The Martinez clan consisted of nine children and two loving
parents shoe-horned into a big white house that was filled with love and music.
They had very little money but somehow scraped by. Sally knew my brother Bill and I liked rock &
roll from the times we entertained our
aunts and uncles and cousins down in the basement of Nana and Grandpa White’s
house at 2281 N. Carolina St. Bill played guitar and sang and I played drums
(kind of). We played Keep On Dancing and Everyday I’ve Got to Cry Some (the
Gentrys), Do You Wanna Dance (Beach Boys), Wipe Out (the Sufaris) and a few
other well-known hits of the day. We
loved to play though we never quite noticed the tight faces, averted glances and
polite applause following our brief set. At the time I didn’t feel embarrassed
but as I’m peer through a lens of faded memories I’m more than a little
grateful that my extended family was so kind.
In the fall
of 1966 cousin Sally took us next door to see this enigmatic rock star. I
recall that his parents welcomed us inside and motioned us over to couch
against the far wall. There we sat rather nervously until Question Mark made
his grand appearance. He was friendly yet elusive and made it a point to show
us this huge Billboard Chart with 96 Tears positioned at #1 with the Beatles a
close second (We Can Work it Out). I recall that he told us that his band were
better than the Beatles and advised us to buy his new LP and all of his up and
coming 45’s. I was in awe and of course I decided right then and there that I
would purchase every single record that Question Mark & the Mysterians ever
made. I made good on that promise, even found two original Pa-Go-Go label
copies of 96 Tears, it was a coup ‘de etat of sorts. I was hooked from then on.
I lost track of the band after a triumphant 1969 performance at the First
Congregational Church (Thank you Reverend Gary Miller) with other major acts
from the Buddha label including the 1910 Fruitgum Company, The Ohio Express,
The Shadow of Knights, and the inimitable Jamie Lyons, the voice of the Music
Explosion.
Many years
passed before I saw him again. He was a co-headliner with Dick Wagner & the
Bossmen and the Paupers at the incredible Y-A-Go-Go Reunion. Wagner had an
illustrious career as an instrumental cog in Lou Reed’s resurrection and
co-conspirator in Alice Cooper’s ascendance in the LP charts. It was a coup ‘de etat for Question Mark to
play at this eagerly anticipated event and a second chance to renew his local
popularity. It marked the last time we baby boomers merged in such a loving
remembrance of our life and times in the sixties. Though Question Mark’s
performance was the highlight of the show, he was not able to sustain the
momentum. His fortunes waxed and waned and the legend became a tattered cloak
to be worn on a few local and regional gigs. Still, offers floated in. Little
Steven van Zandt directed his staff to call me about Question Mark’s availability
for his Garage Rock Tour. I never knew why they called me but I did pass the
word to both Question Mark and Bobby Balderrama . As I recall, the band did a
few of the shows but never capitalized on the opportunity. They never gave up
and never went away. The last time Question Mark performed at White’s was about
5 years ago. A rain storm forced us inside. The show was a stirring testament
to the bands craft. They were just plain fun and exciting but Question Mark was
uncomfortable in such a confined space. He made it clear he would never play
White’s again if he was jammed up into such a tight squeeze. In early 2013 I called
Question Mark about playing White’s Bar again and to my delight he finally
agreed. He chose the date, Saturday July 27th. I called the support
acts the Mongrels, White Mystery and Jack Diamonds. From my point of view it
was a strong lineup comprised of punk and garage rockers that complimented each
other quite nicely.
I started
preparing for the show that morning at 5am and helped staff to organize
seating, box office, product etc. We were on a roll. The sky was blue and the
sun was shining. The temperature was in the low seventies. It was a perfect day
until the wind and dark clouds cast a foreboding pall over the scene. Jack Diamonds
performed a masterful acoustic set of original songs that included a cover of
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. Diamonds expressive tenor has great tone and pitch. It
worked perfectly to convey both love and loss and his role in the universe. Ash
Carry On, You Move Right Through Me, Little Star and Pretty Bird were
highlights of the set. I can’t wait to g=hear Diamonds with his full band. This
is an artist on the rise!
With the
crowd of fans assembling, the clouds opened up to a torrential rain storm. Due
to the inclement and unpredictable weather the magnificent Mongrels – Tim Avram
(guitar, vocals), Shane Swank (drums) and Ethan Murphy (bass) decided to move
their show inside. The room was packed and the set was inspired. Avram opened
with a straight up punk anthem You Could Be Alive. It has a dry humor and a bit
of irony – great tune. He followed with G-DUB, a protest song about George Bush,
political corruption and dropping the bomb, heady stuff. Act One is a song about wasting your life away
by drinking. One Last day is about fallen friends, memories and loss. They even
covered Pink Floyd’s Time and pulled it off without a hitch. The last song Piss
on the Lawn was a big local hit for the Mongrels. The crowd loved it.
During the afternoon and early evening we were
rained out three separate times. The clouds would roll in and unleash a
torrential downpour, laugh all the way to another breach of sunshine. One
particular gust of wind and rain blew in with such force that the awning over
the stage (composed of heavy metal supports) was blown over the fence that
separated Charter Communications from White’s Bar, just missing a vehicle parked on the other
side. We put the frame and tarp all back together as the clouds parted and the
blue sky reappeared just in time for a cool 45 minute set by Chicago garage
rockers White Mystery. It was an energetic set that got the crowd’s attention
and set the tone for the rest of the show. I loved the relentless driving beat
on Telepathic and the goofin’ on Birthday – “C’mon boogie down in your birthday
suit.” Party had a great bass string riff that recalls the Ventures. Alex
sings, “I have an idea , let’s have a party.” They finished their set with
Power People, a high energy “people first” anthem. Alex whoops it up and sings
her ass off. It’s one of my favorite songs…ever. White Mystery is making a name
for themselves and is emerging as a musical tour de force. They are already
positioned on the national scene through relentless touring and releasing a
catalog of great high-energy music, ironic lyrics and humor (kidding on the
square) that digs a little deeper. I can see them making an International
splash in the next few years.
By this time
the crowd had grown to over 200 strong and they were up their feet groovin’ to
the familiar sounds of Question Mark & the Mysterians. It seemed to me that
we were collectively reassured by our hero’s undeniable talent.
The set
opened with the pulsating groove of Do You Feel It. It contains everything we
love about rock & roll the organ trills, pounding drums and a great bass
line. I was up front close to the stage. I looked over to my left and saw Alex
White from White Mystery dancing and smiling like a Cheshire cat. It was as if we were all moving to the music –
one mind and one body. Ten O’ Clock is a deep album cut that segued to Can’t
Get Enough of You Baby – a great regional hit that was first recorded by the
Four Seasons, the original lacked the spunk of Question Marks’ version. To push
the point even further regarding his rock & roll credentials Question Mark
did a rockin’ version of the Kink’s You Really Got Me. Bobby Balderama muscular
guitar work nailed the Dave Davies solo. The band’s version of Be My Baby was a
tribute to their friend Ronnie Spector (a big fan). They took it all home with
outstanding versions of Love Me Baby, Cherry July (a personal favorite). The band’s
reading of Do Something to Me was near perfect. In 1967 it climbed the charts
until Tommy James version got more radio play and ascended to the top. The funky
Midnight Hour was soulful and bluesy. Question Mark’s playful reading gave it a
whole new hue and cry. The band performed well conceived covers. A reconfigured
orgasmic Stand By Me found Question Mark emoting like a love struck puppy, he
moaned and groaned and made it his own. He did a full balls-up reading of Otis
Redding’s version of O.V. Wright’s original deep soul masterpiece That’s How
Strong My Love. It was perfect. Sally Go Round the Roses is a peculiar song
with an eerie atmospheric vibe and…oddly, it’s based on the nursery rhyme Ring
Around the Roses. The Mysterians made it their own and gave it some jazzed up
garage energy. 96 Tears got a rousing response. I love that 16th
note riff that Lil’ Frank Rodriguez created out of the ether. It is the engine
of this magnificent garage rock classic and is as instantly recognizable as
Louie Louie (The Kingsmen) or Dirty Water (The Standells). The performance was
energetic and note perfect. Question Mark was in a zone dancing to the music
and singing with conviction about this ode about love gone bad. We were all smiling
and singing along like a living cellular protoplasm with one mind and purpose.
Everyone thought this was the finale but Question Mark fooled everyone. He
would add another thirty minutes to the show with great versions of Don’t Tease
Me (a deep album cut), Girl (You Captivate Me) – a great song that is a bit
naughty, it should have been a big hit. Eighteen and Try Me (a soulful James
Brown song) finds Question Mark panting for love…ooh, baby. Their rock hard version
of Satisfaction was cock sure and was a suitable tribute to one of Question
Mark’s rock & roll heroes. He even copped a few of Jagger’s moves. The show reached its rocking conclusion with
an energetic second reading of 96 Tears. The crowd erupted like My Vesuvius
releasing the thermal energy of a nuclear bomb. It was a spectacular ninety
minute set that had everyone dancing and singing along. It was simply
transcendent.
96 Tears
Forever!
Peace
Bo white
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