The 45-rpm single disc was playing up to eight minutes per side when it first came on the commerce market scene. The 45-rpm was introduced in 1949 but in the 50’s it became a big hit with jukebox manufacturers! By then the eight minutes had been reduced to around 2 minutes, which the jukebox owners welcomed with open arms (4 times the revenue!). And as the rock ‘n’ roll era was in full swing jukebox owners made a killing from rock ‘n’ roll fanatics. Meanwhile in Jamaica the 45’s were a great hit with sound system controllers like Coxsone Dodd, the Downbeat, Duke Reid, the Trojan and others such as King Edwards who were in the same line of business. But the up and coming champion of Jamaican music Prince Buster was then lurking in the shadows working for Coxsone Dodd as bodyguard, record distributor and sometimes as A & R man. |