Trenchtown

Trenchtown is an American five-piece punk rock group that forms in Detroit, Michigan in 1996 and remains active. The band begins with guitarist and vocalist Mike Nichols, drummer Mike Burlett and bassist and vocalist Eric Wagler, who are friends since grammar school.

Early work and name changes

Before adopting the Trenchtown name, the trio records its first full-length album, Mary-Go-Round, under the name Maryz Eyez while attending Western Michigan University in 1999. The group then plays widely in the West Michigan music scene. In 2002, Ryan Wagler, Eric Wagler’s brother and Nichols’ cousin, joins on rhythm guitar and vocals. He buys his guitar and amplifier on the way to his first show with the band.

Recording history and relocation

As a quartet, the band travels to Charlotte, North Carolina to record For All The Haters in 2004 with Jamie Hoover of Hooverama Studios, whose credits include work with R.E.M., The Spongetones and Hootie and the Blowfish. The band returns south in 2007 to record Memento Mori with Hoover. In 2008, Trenchtown moves to Hermosa Beach, California and adds long-time school friend Greg Bo on lead guitar. It adopts the Trenchtown name at this point.

Style and releases

The band combines punk, rock, reggae, metal and pop in its sound. It releases three full-length records and a self-titled EP. The EP Trenchtown is engineered and co-produced by Biohazard guitarist Billy Graziadei.

Touring and appearances

Trenchtown appears on the Van’s Warped Tour twice and places two Top Five songs on XM Radio’s Unsigned Channel. The band also opens for Unwritten Law and Death By Stereo in Long Beach, California, and shares stages with Seether, the Dead Kennedys, The Plain White T’s, Lucky Boys Confusion, Sponge, Seven Mary Three, Cracker, Authority Zero, The Matches, Local H and Mustard Plug.

Other recognition

With the release of its self-titled EP, Trenchtown secures a sponsorship arrangement with Best Buy, which refers to the band as a “Best Buy Band”.