Writing a therapeutic experience for Dalton
Brick singer-songwriter and band to release fourth album next month
BY SANDI CARPELLO
Correspondent

Jim Druiett (l), Eddie Carson, Mike Dalton and Greg Felise are the Mike Dalton Band.

BRICK — Despite a collective eight decades of musical training, gigs in over 100 venues, and nearly 50,000 hits to their Web site, the Mike Dalton Band has yet to be signed to a record contract. But members of the Brick-based rock ‘n’ roll band are not discouraged.

"A publishing deal would be great," said Mike Dalton, of Brick, the band’s lead singer and guitarist. "I’d like to [be famous] only to get my music out there and play for larger amounts of people."

Since 1991, the four-man band — which also features electric guitarist Eddie Carson, drummer Jimmy Druiett and bass player Greg Felise — has entertained thousands of 20- to 50-somethings at literally hundreds of venues throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Even without the backing of a record label, their first three original CD compilations, "Poker," "Sconsin Babu" and "Mary Jane," sold promisingly among their local fan base. The band’s untitled fourth album will be released next month, according to Dalton.

With influences ranging from Paul McCartney to Frank Sinatra, the Mike Dalton Band reverberates an organic and earnest sound, and has often been compared to the likes of Dave Matthews and Bruce Springsteen.

As a songwriter, Dalton has composed more than 320 original songs and has received a daytime Emmy nomination for his songwriting work on the CBS soap "Guiding Light." As he works on new compositions with James Babjak, the guitarist for the Smithereens, his songs receive airplay on daytime’s "As the World Turns," "Another World," and "Passions," as well as several television commercials.

When it comes to writing lyrics, Dalton, a graduate of Brick Memorial High School, says his inspiration is rooted in dreams, personal tragedy and current events.

"I try to take in everything around me," he said. "If something presents itself to me, I’ll write about it. Sometimes I write just to get sadness, gladness, feel­ings, confusions, regrets, mistakes, etc., out of my head. It makes me feel better many times."

While their ultimate goal is to produce their own original music, Dalton said the band does not turn their noses up to cover songs.

"When you’re playing for a bar crowd, you’re not really going to move them in a cerebral way," Dalton said. "I want to have them enjoy it, move physically, or do whatever they need to do to get some­thing out of it."

For Mike Dalton Band music down­loads and concert dates, log on to www.mikedalton.com.