Trenchmen

Garage area combo the Trenchmen formed in Minot, ND, in 1965, originally comprising vocalist/bassist Jim Mackey, guitarist Greg Jordahl, organist Alan Mattson, and drummer Ken Light. Forming on the zenith of Beatlemania, the group also copped a solid sonic influence through the Projects, honing their audio at region proms and teenager dances — by year’s end, these were more than enough of an area attraction to appeal to reservation agent Vern Garrison and his Mid-American Creation business. With M.A.P. on the helm, the Trenchmen spent just about any weekend of 1966 gigging over the Dakotas, growing their travels to add Montana and Manitoba by the next year. In middle-1967 they journeyed to Minneapolis’ Kaybank Studios to record a set of Jordahl originals, “Stores on My Center” and “Travel BESIDE ME,” issued in the Trenchmen’s very own Sound Influence label. Immediately after, Light resigned and was changed by drummer Todd Ballantyne. In early 1968, Mackey enlisted in the U.S. Navy — programs to discover a substitute were shortly shelved, however, as well as the Trenchmen dissolved. The German label Break-a-Way afterwards reissued both edges from the “Stores on My Heart” one within a 10″ also offering fellow North Dakota garage area band the Shed Souls.