Save The Youth vinyl

Mellow Madness would have likely lingered on in obscurity had it not been for Kay Dee partner DJ Keb Darge, who introduced the group's sole 45 to a new audience. Titled "Save The Youth", it has an inspirational message and a pounding yet polished disco tune that had fresh appeal on dancefloors of the new millennium. In the late 1970s, middle school band teacher and jazz musician Mal Sharpe built the group from former students who attended various high schools across the city. Sharpe enlisted fellow educator Frank McNeill, as assistant manager and producer, and found the perfect vocalist, Fayetteville State University student Mike Walker. A young talent indeed, by 1983 Walker's perfect tenor graced "I Found Lovin" by the Fatback Band, the famed NY group's biggest hit of the decade. By 1980 Mellow Madness had committed six tight, original compositions to tape but released only the one single in hopes of garnering the interest of a major record company. Unfortunately, no deal was ever secured and the group disbanded by the mid-80s while their music remained on the shelf.

Frank Booker, KAY-DEE US, LAFUNKMACHETE