A garage rock group, which mainly recorded and performed covers from Beaumont, Texas, S.J. and the Crossroads, were exceptional at recording tunes with a lone star signature sound. Of the small amount of information remaining about this group, I was able to find an interview with the original lead singer Sam Messina. In this interview Messina has problems coming to grips with the idea that his band fit the garage/punk sound. After listening to S.J. and the Crossroads snarling vocals and rough instrumentation, a garage image is unveiled.
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Today I bring you two out of a slew of monster 45’s by The Crossroads, first which is a Jesse Hill cover of Ooh Poo Pah Doo. This single was recorded in Jones Studio in Houston; the group wanted a live feel for the track so they overdubbed background voices at the beginning of the track. The band supposedly was saying the word “Rhubarb,” over and over again, however the listener is unable to decipher this from the track. The second tune is a calm version of The Strangeloves “Night Time.”
The group consisted of six Italian guys from Beaumont. Mike Daleo on guitar, Phillip Battaglia on bass, Johnny Serio on lead guitar, Sam Giglio on keys, Sam Messina on vocals and S.J. Serio on drums. The group recorded on the Salmar Label out of Beaumont, which was created for the Crossroads. The name was selected because S.J.’s and Jonny’s father Sal Serio, who was the group’s manager and their mother’s name was Mary forming SALMAR Records.
