QUESTION MARK AND THE MYSTERIANS

On November 3, 2008 I began creating Retro:Kimmer. I wanted to feature a playlist of my favorite songs from the 60's. The very first song I added to my Retro playlist was 96 Tears.

Zooming forward for a minute.. In 1989 2 of my friends and I went camping near Grand Haven, MI. From the moment we got there it poured rain. Being in a tent during endless down pours was depressing. We ventured into town and found a little bar there and partied there until the bar closed.

While at this bar we met the Mysterians. We hung out with them all night. The drummer I think told me about Question Mark and told many fun stories about their adventures after 96 Tears went to number 1. He told me that Question Mark really has a ? on his driver's license. We thought that was totally cool.

Question Mark and the Mysterians were an American garage/rock band formed in Bay City, Michigan, in 1962. Light years ahead of their time, they influenced millions of young rock bands to come.

Their number 1 hit was "96 Tears," recorded in 1966 would go on to sell over one million copies and receive a BMI award for over three million airplays. Rudy Martinez, the lead singer, legally changed his name to Question Mark (?). Question Mark and the Mysterians was perhaps the first band to be described as punk rock, and also may be the first Latino rock group to have a general audience hit record in the United States.

The group named itself after the 1957 Japanese science fiction film The Mysterians, in which aliens from the destroyed planet Mysteroid arrive to conquer Earth.

Question Mark’s excentric behavior helped to briefly establish the group in the national consciousness. He claimed (and still claims) to be a Martian who lived with dinosaurs in a past life, and he never appears in public without sunglasses.

On January 10, 2007, a fire destroyed the home of Question Mark on his farm in Clio, Michigan, taking all of his priceless memorabilia and also taking the lives of his beloved breeding dogs (Yorkies). Benefit shows have been held around the country with Question Mark performing at some of these events.

The Mysterians (without Question Mark) still play live around Michigan and are now playing events around the country. Ironically, the fire has caused a wave of renewed interest in Question Mark.

A documentary film about them is slowly being assembled by longtime friend and photographer Terry Murphy, who runs the official website for Question Mark and the Mysterians .

The working title for the film is Are You For Real. It will include footage from their forty years in the music business—from 1966 to the 1997 reformation and up to the present.

KIMMERS TOP 6 FAVORITE 1960s CARTOONS

Top Cat holds a top spot in the hearts of a lot of us cartoon fans. The smooth-talking New York City cat, known as T.C. to his kitty cohorts Benny the Ball, Choo-Choo, Spook, The Brain, and Fancy-Fancy, is always on the make toward a big score or swindle.

Officer Dibble is relentlessly on his case (although always one step behind) throughout 30 fast, funny episodes. This deluxe 5-disc set offers terrifically top Bonus Extras as befit, so the swinging theme song immortalizes, “the chief. He’s the king, but above everything: he’s the most tiptop Top Cat!”

With a zany ensemble cast of princesses, fairy godmothers, evil queens, and trolls, Fractured Fairy Tales presented our favorite childhood stories with a silly modern twist. Stars: Edward Everett Horton, Daws Butler, June Foray.

Jay Ward's re-imagining of classic fairy tales is outrageous, ridiculous... and fractured! With Prince (Not-So) Charming turning Sleeping Beauty into a tourist attraction while the Seven Dwarves make their living as con artists, everything is 'Fair' game when it comes to these fairy tales.

The Ant Hill Mob is a group of 1920s gangsters who compete in Wacky Races. Their names are Clyde (leader, voiced by Paul Winchell), Ring-A-Ding (Don Messick), Danny, Rug Bug Benny, Mac, Kirby, and Willy.

It never is revealed whether they have escaped from jail or what. The gang drive car number 7, The Bulletproof Bomb (also known as The Roaring Plenty). They are pint-sized characters, a reference to the Seven Dwarfs. In the very first episode, "See-Saw to Arkansas", they even disguise themselves as the Seven Dwarfs to escape from a policeman.

Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks is a Hanna-Barbera cartoon that featured as a regular segment of the television series The Huckleberry Hound Show from 1958 to 1961.

It stars two cute and cuddly twin mice children, the bowtied Pixie (voiced by Don Messick) and the vested Dixie (voiced by Daws Butler with a Southern accent) and Mr. Jinks the Cat (voiced by Daws Butler impersonating Marlon Brando). Mr. Jinks is an orange tuxedo cat who is always outfoxed by the mice, causing him to utter his trademark line "I hates those meeces to pieces!"

The Jetsons is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera. It originally aired in primetime from September 23, 1962, to March 17, 1963, then later in syndication.

The Jetsons live in a comical version of a century in the future, with elaborate robotic contraptions, aliens, holograms, and whimsical inventions.

The Beatles is an animated television series featuring representations of the popular English rock band of the same name. It was originally broadcast from 1965 to 1969 on ABC in the U.S.

Each episode has the name of a Beatles song, so the story is based on its lyrics and it is also played at some time in the episode. The original series was rebroadcast in syndication by MTV in 1986 and 1987 and on the Disney Channel

MAJOR FRANK MAKI: AWARDED SILVER STAR

My Dad's Medals and Patches

Part of the reason I posted about Vietnam was to see if some of the Army kids I used to know might show up here. Today a friend from our Army life did stop by and leave a note on RK. We really appreciate the visit and hope all is well with your family as well. Thank you Bob!

Major Maki

To:
retrokimmer@gmail.com
Bob Evans has left a new comment on your post "Vietnam 1968-1971":

Kim, Our families were close back then as my Dad and yours served together. My son and daughter are visiting the wall this evening and are going to find your dad's name. My dad speaks so well about your dad to this day. Please give our best to your mom and sister from our family.

Award of The Silver Star

For gallantry in action: Major Maki distinguished himself by gallantry in action on 20 - 22 June 1971 while serving as Senior Advisor to the 1st Battalion, 2d Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, Army of the Republic of Vietnam at Fire Support Base Fuller in Quang Tri Province.

Major Maki heroically participated in the defenses of Fire Support Base Fuller by accompanying and assisting his Vietnamese counterpart against the North Vietnamese Army thrust. After more than two continuous days of intensive direct and indirect fire and ground attacks, the NVA managed to breech the defenses.

Major Maki then directed many tactical air strikes and aerial rocket artillery against the enemy. During this time he continued to reappraise the tactical situation, adjust supporting fires and coordinate medical aid to the wounded Vietnamese soldiers.

Though he had been sixty hours without rest, he continued to assist his counterparts up until the moment he was mortally wounded by an enemy artillery round. His extraordinary example of leadership and valiant courage radiated throughout the Fire Support Base and inspired the Vietnamese to repulse the enemy attack. Major Maki's conspicuous gallantry in action was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflects great credit upon himself and the military service.

LOVE WAS OUT TO GET ME: THE MONKEES

The Monkees were a pop singing quartet assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968. The primary members were Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork, who were the public face of a music production system under the supervision of Don Kirshner.

At the start, the band members provided vocals, and were given some performing and production opportunities, but they eventually fought for and earned the right to collectively supervise all musical output under the band's name. The group undertook several concert tours, allowing an opportunity to perform as a live band as well as on the TV series.

When the show was cancelled in 1968, the band continued releasing records until 1970. In the 1980s, the television show and music had a revival, which led to a series of reunion tours, and new records featuring various incarnations of the band's lineup.

Click Here to see the Monkees Homepage

MITCH RYDER AND THE DETROIT WHEELS

It was about 1966 and I was 10 years old that birthday. My mom took me to buy my present and all I wanted in the world was "Sock it to me Baby" by Mitch Ryder. My mom thought I might rather have the Beach Boys or Herman's Hermits. NO WAY I wanted "Devil with a Blue Dress" and "Shake a Tail Feather" and "Little Latin Lupe Lu". I got it and she bought me the other records too! Mitch Ryder is the soundtrack of my life!

Born just outside of Detroit, Michigan in the late 50's I grew up listening to CKLW am from Canada. My first record I ever heard that made me jump to me feet and shake it was MITCH! You better sock it ...to me baby sock it!

DEL SHANNON: WHILE OUR HEARTS WERE YOUNG

"Runaway" Del Shannon's number one hit was another theme song of the 60's.

It was a great mix of country with blues that formed rock n roll in the very beginning. Del had other hits during the 60's but none so historically memorable as Runaway. Here is the backstory:

Del was originally from Grand Rapids Michigan and after he finished a stint in the Army he began recording in Battle Creek Michigan. About 80 miles from where I live. Del used to sit in with different bands around Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor through out the 70's and in about 1973 I did see him play Runaway at a hole in the wall bar called "The Underground" which aptly named because the bar was built under ground. He was phenomenal then and what a thrill to dance to Del playing. After he played he talked to all of dippy teenaged girls and was so sweet. Why I didn't get an autograph I'll never know. I guess because we wanted to look "cooler" than to ask for it.

Del suffered from depression like a lot of us have struggled through. Shortly after he began treatment with the new drug Prozac he shot himself with a 22 caliber rifle. He was just married for 2 years and his death really shocked his new wife. She speculated that Del suffered trying to keep his personal life and celebrity life separated. Read the full tragic story on Findadeath.Com Watch the news story from Entertainment Tonight Official Del Shannon website HERE Here is the original video of Runaway:

AMERICAN MODEL: PEGGY MOFFITT

Peggy Moffitt

Wasn't Peggy Moffitt just absolutely the most RETRO fabulous?? She was my image of looking cool as a teenager. I still want to look like her! The fabulous eye makeup, the black Sassoon hair cut. It was Peggy whose clothes I tried to copy as a kid in 1968. Mini's, colored opaque stockings to match, chunky heeled shoes, long strands of colored beads, drop earrings and those great big fat watch bands! And of course that fabulous Sassoon hair cut! All copied from Peg.

Here's a bit of bio on gorgeous Peggy Moffitt

Peggy Moffitt (born in California in 1939), is best known as the premier model and muse for the late fashion designer Rudi Gernreich. (He did the famous topless bathing suit wihich Peggy bravely modeled see it HERE) Though her unique look has now become iconic of the 60s fashion scene, Peggy started out pursuing a career in film.

Her work with Gernreich, and entrance into the 60s fashion scene came along in 1958 when she began a romantic affair with photographer William Claxton. Claxton had been involved with Gernreich since 1956, photographing his designs. By 1962 (two years after Moffitt and Claxton had wed), Peggy began work as a model for Gernreich.

As she began modeling for Gernreich, her signature image began to evolve. She wore false eyelashes and heavy eye makeup, drawing on not only current trends but Japanese Kabuki theater. Her hairstyle, a modified bowl cut was the Vidal Sassoon "five point". Which is making a huge revival right now that will be my next post.

The trio remained under the radar until 1964, when Gernreich designed his notorious topless bathing suit, dubbed the "monokini". The bold design catapulted both Gernreich and Moffitt to stardom, as Moffitt was one of the few models bold enough at the time to model it. The two soon became more than just designer and model. Moffitt became a muse to Gernreich, and later on, a collaborator as well.

Though Gernreich died in 1985, Moffitt held the trademark on his name and designs, (smart girl) and has since then used this to further popularize the works of Gernreich.

In 1999 she allowed for his designs to be put on display in an art exhibition. Within the same year Moffitt also worked with Marylou Luther and Claxton to release a comprehensive book chronicling the designs of Gernreich.

Get the cool book here:

Cool Peggy links:

Myspace Fan site

Photo Gallery 1

Photo Gallery 2

See Peggy in action