Ravenstone (band)
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Headquarters | Athens, Georgia , United States |
| Products | Music recordings, live performances |
Ravenstone is a rock ensemble originating from Athens, Georgia, established in 1971. The founding lineup consisted of Butch Blasingame (lead guitar, vocals), Dwight Brown (bass, acoustic guitar, vocals), Michael A. Simpson (vocals, harmonica, percussion, air raid siren), Ralph Towler (guitar, mandolin, keyboards, vocals), and Bill Wilson (drums, saxophone, clarinet, vocals). Gaining prominence throughout the southeastern United States in the early 1970s, they are acknowledged as forerunners of the globally recognized Athens rock movement.
The band was formed when Blasingame, Simpson, and Wilson connected through a drama course at the University of Georgia. Their name was inspired by a field associated with witch executions in Goethe’s Faust, a work they were studying at the time. Blasingame brought Brown and Towler into the group from Monroe, Georgia—his hometown—and had previously collaborated with them in the band Edifice Wrecks.
All five members shared songwriting duties alphabetically; while Simpson contributed most of the lyrics, every member played a role in the creative process. Their initial musical style fused proto-punk elements with roots rock, British Invasion sounds, and soul influences. Distinctive characteristics included Blasingame’s powerful guitar playing, the cohesive rhythm section formed by Brown and Towler supported by Wilson’s jazz-influenced drumming, and Simpson’s unique baritone voice alongside socially conscious lyrics. Notably, Simpson incorporated a World War II-era air raid siren into live performances as an innovative sound feature.
Ravenstone’s live shows were distinguished by their integration of music with political messages and humor. Fans referred to them as the Ravesters, appreciating their provocative stage presence that often featured striking imagery aligned with their social critiques.
The group was among the earliest Athens bands to champion social causes that would later be embraced by artists such as R.E.M. In March 1972, they played at what is believed to be the first openly held gay rights dance in the southeastern U.S., hosted on the University of Georgia campus. This event proceeded only after a court injunction overturned university officials’ initial attempt to block it due to prevailing sodomy laws. Following this performance, Ravenstone reportedly endured harassment from Ku Klux Klan members.
University authorities scrutinized Simpson for his politically charged remarks during concerts and for wearing clothing adorned with controversial symbols like "666" and an inverted cross. Despite opposition, a photograph of Simpson donning a shirt featuring a censored four-letter slang word was included in the 1973 student yearbook. The band earned recognition within underground media circles for fusing political activism with original musical expression.
At an outdoor voter registration rally near UGA’s administration building in May 1972, Ravenstone faced threats of arrest after performing "Off A Pig," a track promoting veganism rather than violence against police—who were commonly referred to as "pigs" at that time. The band responded by raising their volume amid police presence intended to prevent disturbances among hundreds of attending students.
In early 1972, Ravenstone commenced recording their debut album More Love at Web IV Studios in Atlanta but disbanded before its completion. A version of the album’s title track surfaced later on an EP released in 2003 and as a bonus feature on the DVD edition of Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers, a film directed by Simpson in 1987. Several other studio recordings have yet to be made public.
Following the departure of Wilson, Towler, and Brown, Blasingame and Simpson continued performing regionally with additional musicians such as drummer Randy Delay—who would later join the Georgia Satellites—and bassist Greg Veale—a founding member of Normaltown Flyers—until Ravenstone ultimately dissolved in 1974.
The founding lineup reunited in 2003 and subsequently released Back on the Rock in 2005. They also performed at The Ritz in Athens; this concert was captured on the DVD One Night Only: Ravenstone Live At The Ritz.
Discography
- More Love (EP single) 2003
- Back On The Rock (CD) 2005
- Dance of Life (EP single) 2007
- Shades in the Shadows (CD) upcoming
- Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers (DVD) 2004 – includes "More Love" as a bonus feature
- One Night Only: Ravenstone Live at The Ritz (DVD) 2006