Rittenhouse Square - Rittenhouse Square [CCSS-1214 - 1972]

Rittenhouse Square - Rittenhouse Square [CCSS-1214 - 1972]

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Self released 1972 mini-album from a Winston-Salem, North Carolina high school blues rock band that Mitch Easter (Let's Active, Sneakers), Chris Stamey (The Db's, Sneakers) and Peter Holsapple (The Db's) we're members of.

The closest Winston-Salem, North Carolina ever got to having a proto-punk band, Rittenhouse Square was a group of fifteen odd year old long hairs who played battle of the bands and church basement events billed as "coffee shops."

"King of the Battle of the Bands" features some pretty impressive dueling guitar work for a bunch of teenagers. The ultimate Winston-Salem dirtbag anthem "Like Wow"  details an average night of a 1970s Winston teen burn out, "trying to find a dealer," and hanging out at local haunt The Garden alongside "all of Winston-Salem's best."

Overall the standout track for me is "Gone Again;" a hopped up pubescent love scorned ballad that sounds like a redneck teenage garage band version of the Kinks's at their most melancholic. 

"This was shot behind Reznick's Thruway where I worked. Shirts are from Miller's Variety Store on Trade Street."

- Peter Holsapple, on the Rittenhouse Square sleeve/insert photo

1. King of the Battle of the Bands
2. Screamin' And Yellin'
3. The Hots
4. Like Wow
5. The Plant Song
6. Gone Again