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? & The Mysterians are often thought of as one of the first punk garage-type bands, even if those terms hadn't even been coined in 1966. Their only hit, the classic "96 Tears," originally had a different name and the group wasn't sure if it kept the moniker that it would still be played on radio in those far more careful days.
Frankly, I think this is a bit of an exaggeration, but it's still an interesting story and one I've never heard before.
The 1st Punk Rock Song Had a Title Too Scandalous for Radio
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There are a few "urban myths" about the accounts of this song. The song title supposedly starting as 69 Tears which ? stated is not true, as the #96 has deep meaning to him. Who to believe? There is also the implication that it was crudely recorded "in a living room" instead of at Art Schjell's recording studio located at the rear of his house at 405 Raymond St, Bay City, Mi.