Who Was David Brian Bell?
by Mike Konopka
Today, February 17, 2020 is David Bell’s birthday. David would have been 64 years old.
David was an early childhood and grade school friend of Pentwater band members Phil Goldman, Ken Kappel. and myself (Mike Konopka). Before Pentwater River, in about 1969, Phil, Ken and I played in a cover band called Oceana County Pioneers and Businessman’s Band. Our young band’s first gig was playing the Grand Opening of David Bell’s Arnold’s headshop in lovely Niles Illinois.
Later when Pentwater River was formed, David was pretty much a fixture helping our band and also operating the light show.
David was a huge guy (we gave him the nickname “Giant Body”) and he had this truly unbelievable record collection. Dave’s mom was in the women’s fashion world so he went along to New York several times a year with her on buying trips. And while in Manhattan, David would score piles of rare and import records for his collection back home in Niles, Illinois.
David Bell was probably the greatest influence on my musical tastes. More on that soon…
Steal These Records!
About 1970-71 Dave read Abbie Hoffman’s Steal This Book, and more specifically how to rip off major label record clubs by just filling out the silly mailing forms that were packed into magazines of the day. And by using assumed names like Bernie Tauplin, Clark Barre, Barry Gordee, etc we were both receiving dozens of free records every week. Abbie’s book stated; you can’t be held liable for purchases you had never signed for. And the major labels who ran the record clubs in those days would still automatically send you a new LP every week!
This nutty plan only worked for a few months or so before the records stopped coming. But not before we had dozens of freebies! In later years I learned that the major labels never compensated artists for record club purchases or give-a-ways. So as 14 year old delinquents we weren’t ripping off the artists, only the scumbag labels! Thanks Abbie!
And as David was the one busily filling out record club freebie cards, he was also influencing my musical preferences at the same time. LPs arrived from Deep Purple, Elton John, early Peter Green era Fleetwood Mac, King Crimson, Mark Almond, Family, and the Nice. More from Chicago Transit Authority, Buddy Miles, Blind Faith, Procol Harum, CCR, and this weird theatrical band called Genesis.
Pentwater’s Influencer
Before meeting David, I pretty much listened to the Beatles, Stones and maybe Donovan. These were the records my sister Beth brought home from Cambridge Massachusetts while she attended Radcliffe there. But after the fab four’s breakup in 1970, I remember feeling like: “Now what am I gonna listen to?” And that’s when David filled in the musical void. And just when I was learning to play in a band.
The way we shared music in the 70s was by cassette taping. In my mind, I can still see various Pentwater members leaving David Bell’s house with armloads of the latest imported records that they had borrowed from him. Off they went to make cassettes of their favorites, and also to become influenced in each of their musical tastes.
Later in the Pentwater days and in addition to running lights for our shows, David became our de facto tour manager. I can’t forget him waking us up on the road by tossing quarters in the the “Magic Fingers” bed vibrating machine in our low budget motel rooms. David supported and helped Pentwater until the final band gig in Janesville Wisconsin in 1978.
Who Was David Brian Bell?
David formed Persona Records shortly thereafter which was an early Chicago House Music record label. He was my first production client at the fledgling Seagrape Studios.
He was also a pretty damn good DJ. But when David was diagnosed with AIDS his music career shifted gears towards activism.
AIDS Activism
Out of the closet since 1974, David lived proudly as part of Chicago’s gay community. So after the rock and roll days he became an Act Up activist building support information, and protest networks in the early and dark days of AIDS awareness about 1986.
In a May 1987 Chicago Sun-Times interview with Tom Bruné after being diagnosed a few months earlier with AIDS, David Bell said: “People aren’t just dying with AIDS. People are living with AIDS. These people are not victims, and they shouldn’t allow themselves to be victimized by this illness.” 
Bell called attention to the need for support networks to help AIDS patients in coping with both illness and bureaucracy.
“In August 1987, he was among those who chained themselves to the fence of Governor James R. Thompson’s Chicago residence to protest a legislative bill that would institute mandatory AIDS contact tracing. He was a co-founder of the Chicago chapter of the National Association of Persons With AIDS. He served on the Howard Brown Memorial Clinic speakers bureau, volunteered at a drop-in center for persons with AIDS and their families and friends, and led Chicago-area PWAs in the 1987 national gay and lesbian rights march on Washington, where he helped to organize a civil disobedience event at the Supreme Court.”
(from the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame)
We lost David in 1989 to AIDS. I miss him every day but especially on February 17th, his birthday. He helped me form my musical personality and later, he taught me what was important in this crazy world. I am proud to have called him my friend. And I can’t stop listening to those great records!
Mike Konopka 2-17-20
Who Was David Brian Bell?
nIce – Giant Body – also the best pot in town! loved sitting in his room in niles listening and smoking – but the music – yes the music
Wow, I woke up this morning after dreaming about David , googled his name and found this article. David and I met while volunteering for the NAMES PROJECT and became fast friends. We would stay up late at night sharing stories when he would stay at my apartment in the city rather than travel back to the suburbs after various events. He’d tell me about music, his childhood etc.. He used to lend me a jackets for some reason.
And when he died, he was buried very close to my father’s grave, so now I see them all. David and now his parents next to my lfather.
I miss him
Today 2-17-21 is David Bell’s 65th birthday! I miss him every day. Ironically, I’m getting my first Covid vaccine today on his birthday. I think he would be happy about that. I know I am!