Defunct Local Band Profile Series: Programmed To Fail & Mackinaw Trail

It's now time for this month's Defunct Local Band Profiles, as we're once again looking at one or two defunct/inactive local metal, hard rock, or punk bands, in order to spotlight their public run and accomplishments for current readers! As usual, this month's bands were randomly selected from our band links. This month's first band didn't have enough surviving information to warrant a solo profile, so I randomly picked another band in a similar state from Sault Michigan to round things out, and the fact that their names rhyme is purely coincidental. Now, here's what you should know!
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Programmed To Fail

Genre: Hardcore Punk
 
Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Members: (The instrument roles of this band's members may be incorrect. Let me know if you can make any corrections! Note that they never had an official drummer, and used a drum machine on their Soundcloud postings.)

Craig Kelly, vocals
Justin "Thorky" Thorkilson, guitar
Corry Rideout (The Northern Tragedy), bass

Info/Analysis: Launching under the name The Transjenners in February 2016, Programmed To Fail quickly posted their only original "We Push Back" on their Soundcloud page, which was a raw but intense punk song that showcased fair promise! After a brief hiatus, P.T.F. returned in late 2017 with Corry added on bass, but little followed aside from teaser photos, and the band ultimately dissolved in 2018, aside from posting a trap instrumental on Soundcloud that October. Programmed To Fail were a work in progress that never had much to report, but Craig & Thorky had something on "We Push Back", and it'd be interesting to see them pick up where they left off! 

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Mackinaw Trail

Genre: Classic/Hard Rock
 
Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Members:

Henry Switzer (Highway 63), vocals/guitar
George Belleau (Highway 63, Full Throttle, Hawk Junction), bass
Ron Suchey (Highway 63, Monkey's Uncle, RamWagon), drums

Audio/Video: Mackinaw Trail themselves never posted any media to preview their sound, but seeing as they were a side project of 2014-2020 classic/hard rock cover quartet Highway 63, and shared three members with their final lineup, watching that band's extant videos will give you an idea. As well, note that Mackinaw Trail did tease a setlist comprised of songs from Henry & Ron's old band Monkey's Uncle (née Jager) when they made their live debut.

Info/Analysis: Mackinaw Trail (an alternate name for the real H-63) played their only concert on October 18th, 2019 when both bands split a weekend engagement at The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Ste. Marie Kewadin Casino. This new band was designed as a way to play live dates when Highway 63 guitarist Nathan Switzer (Henry's son) was unavailable, while also recording original music, but the pandemic & Henry's health issues stalled any further public plans. Henry did post some of his solo activity on Mackinaw Trail's Facebook page in late 2020, but the band likely dissolved following his death in February 2021. While videos never appeared of Mackinaw Trail proper, it's safe to say that fans of Henry's local music career would have enjoyed Mackinaw Trail, and they were the victim of bad timing. Hopefully we'll see George and Ron back on stage down the line, and R.I.P. Henry!

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I hope you guys liked this month's Defunct Local Band Profile! Next month in this series, we'll head back to Sault Ontario for the summer, where our newest randomly selected band of the past will be mid-2010s solo project StrykerGC (a.k.a. Stonesmith GC),so look for that on or around June 10th, and for more news and notes on the site soon! Thanks everyone!