| Starting Out |
Mikeal Anthony Greto is a multi-instrumentalist who started writing songs by the age of fourteen. 3 years prior to that, he began his musical path as a drummer. His beginner drum set had skins that couldn’t be replaced so duct tape was often used to patch the holes he tapped into them. Once those drums were beyond repair, Mikeal purchased a new drum kit with money he had saved up from his newspaper route. The guitar started shortly thereafter and as soon as he could put a few chord changes together, Mikeal was writing songs that helped him deal with his parents struggling relationship. By age 17, he joined the Electro-Pop band Swoon as front man/guitarist and the band began touring with over 250 shows a year throughout the U.S. The band would release 3 albums over the next 6 years before reinventing themselves with a new sound and name. The newly formed Manic featured University of the Arts graduate Christopher Miller on drums. This change would lead Miller and Greto to form a lifelong bond and to the creation of 2 new bands, The Flood and The Silent Signals.
| Musical Shape Shifter |
Mikeal formed The Flood with Christopher Miller in 2005. The band, whose name was derived from the Peter Gabriel song, “Here Comes The Flood”, released their first album in 2006 and began touring over the next 3 years highlighted by in-studio performances on Radio 104.5 and 93.7 WSTW and a show in support of Counting Crows in 2008. Mikeal and Miller then regrouped with Flood bassist/keyboardist Matt Tenaglia as The Silent Signals with a sonic shift that would lean the band towards a more Electro-Rock sound. The Silent Signals released their first full length album in 2011 and performed in support of the album at such venues as The Trocadero Theater, Milkboy and The Queen Theater as well as a spot at the Dewey Beach Music Conference. Their EP and single, “Caught in the Current” was released in 2013.
Photo Credit: Jesse Brittell
| The Brothers J.A. |
Craving a change, Mikeal moved to Atlanta, GA in 2015 to pursue a solo career. Unexpectedly though in 2017, tragedy struck when Mikeal and his wife lost their 15 year old son to brain cancer. Music was put on hold while he and his family tried to pick up the pieces until Mikeal’s lifelong friend and fellow musician, Michael Crist helped him find his musical voice once again. The 2 Mike’s formed The Brothers J.A.(Jay) in the hopes of healing through music and an EP entitled “The First Draft” was released in October of 2018. The Brother’s J.A. followed the release with shows at World Cafe Live, Burlap and Bean and Xfinity Live in Philadelphia.
Photo Credit: Josh Carr
| Deep Roots |
After spending most of his musical career writing and performing in bands that collectively produced more than 8 albums worth of material, Mikeal's solo work is further pushing the boundaries of his craft as he embraces songwriting at the most vulnerable time of his life. Locked down in his home studio in 2020, Mikeal tracked guitars, bass, piano & mandolin and his debut solo EP, “Blue Roots”was released on 9.22.22, what would have been his son’s 21st birthday. Mixed at Forge Recording by Philly Scene staple and longtime friend Steven LaFashia, the EP was mastered by Sterling Sound’s Calbi/Fallone and again featured Miller, Michael Crist, Cellist Maura Dwyer and a guest spot by Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke. With a new batch of songs in the works, “In Florescence” is slated for release in 2025.