The summers of my high school years were spent in Pentwater, answering the unending questions tourists had with the monotony of a flight attendant in their thirtieth year of service. “The road to the beach is two blocks north.” “Don’t worry, that’s just the noon siren; there’s no tornado coming.” “There are public restrooms at the Hancock building.” “No, just because that item doesn’t have a price tag doesn’t mean it's free.”
One question that constantly irritated me, but that I couldn’t fault the questioner for asking, was about bumper stickers. “What does 5H2O stand for?” Of course, having just completed 10th grade chemistry, I thought the answer was obvious - it stands for Pentwater. “Pent” or “penta” being a Greek-root prefix for 5, and H2O being the well-known chemical formula for water.
The origin of the name “Pentwater” is debated. My assumption was always that it was, quite literally, named for the five waters associated with the town - the Pentwater River, the marshland, Pentwater Lake, the channel and Lake Michigan. I’ve heard other claims that it comes from “some Indian word,” which means “penned-up waters.” I’m not too convinced of the validity of this claim. Other sources do agree with my previous Greek prefix assumption.
The true origin of the name for the village, one of the oldest communities in Oceana County, probably didn’t matter to a group of Chicago teenagers in 1971 who decided to borrow the name for their progressive rock (also referred to as “Prog Rock”) band.
Pentwater (the band) featured the various talents of guitarists Mike Konopka, Phil Goldman and Ron Fox, drummer and lead vocalist Tom Orsi, keyboardist Ken Kappel and bassist Ron LaSaar. All of these young musicians were from in and around suburban Chicago, all interested in experimental rock music, and all around the same age I was when I was directing tourists to the nearest ATM.
According to the history detailed on the band’s website, Pentwater (the band) had their first gig at their high school auditorium, following a speech given by Konopka for a freshman English class about “Being in a Band.” Why a group of high schoolers was allowed to perform experimental rock for a grade, I don’t know, probably because “it was the 70s,” and you could apparently get away with most anything then. Regardless, the performance was a hit, drawing in a crowd of students beyond the English class.
What followed through the early 70s was a string of performances at “friend’s parties, school dances, [Highland] Park district concerts, and church fundraisers,” covering a variety of popular rock music as well as performing a collection of their own original songs. A common aspect of their shows, particularly in later years, was the implementation of light shows set in time with the music to create a “multi-media” performance.
In 1977 they independently produced a self-titled LP with 12 songs. Eventually they expanded to playing gigs at college campuses and bars throughout the Midwest, as well as opening for bands such as “Journey, Rush, Michael Stanley Band, Angel, Hawkwind, Muddy Waters, Hound Dog Taylor, Birtha [and] many others.”
The years saw several members leave the band, oftentimes for college, and other musicians come in as replacements. While the mid-70s saw some success for Pentwater (the band) on a regional level, they disbanded in 1978. As explained on the band’s website, “After almost 10 years of trying to gain the right exposure in the right markets and failing to ink a deal with the proper label or management, the music alone isn’t strong enough to keep the effort alive and pay the bills.”
Though the band never found grand success, many of the members still continued to play or produce music even as they progressed into their “adult” lives. In the 90s and early 00s, they came back together to remix some of their old work to re-release for CDs and digital streaming, feeding a niche market for enjoyers of vintage Prog Rock.
Now, for the most important question - how did the band come to be named “Pentwater?” According to them, by “allegedly removing a tired, old, unnecessary state sign nobody needed on the Pentwater River in the state of Michigan, and by placing said sign in front of the drums, the band became known as ‘Pentwater River.’”
So…they stole a road sign from the Pentwater River. Allegedly.
They dropped the “River” in their name early on after too many people assumed they were a country or folk band and subsequently retired the sign.
Now, I don’t know the statute of limitations for stealing road signs, nor do I want a bunch of AARP-aged rockers getting busted for an over-50-year-old bit of teenaged tomfoolery, but I still have questions. Which of you Chicago teens frequented Pentwater, Michigan, for your family vacations? Where is the sign now? Would you consider playing at the Pentwater Village Green? Why is your music so unique? I see that an earlier iteration of your band was called Oceana County Pioneers and Businessman’s Band, clearly referencing the historical book "Oceana County Pioneers and Business Men of To-Day," published in 1890 - did you acquire this book through thievery, or is that just for road signs? Can you sign the Pentwater LP I just purchased online?
Any readers interested in learning more about the band can explore further on their website - pentwatermusic.com. They also have a YouTube channel called “Pentwater Music” where you can listen to their three available albums for free. Personally, my favorite song is “Memo,” off their self-titled album.
