SoundPower – background music
At the time, there was no internet or cell phones. The only music you could listen to when you weren’t at home was either Muzak/Elevator music or the radio.
Wes’ family had a background in mechanical electronic machinery. Inspired by an idea I had from back when I was the Station Manager at Radio Varsity, Wes invented a new cart-based play of background music with the help of Brad Flowers, Darryl Fine (Bovine Sex club fame) and Wulf of Solid Sound Services. From 1977 to 1983, we attended a number of bar trade shows and discovered that we (Sound Power) were the only company offering this unique technology. Copying a record onto a tape so it could be played at a bar was a big issue — very illegal, so we knew our venture would come to an end as soon as we got a letter from a lawyer. I continued for a little while longer while I brainstormed something similar that wouldn’t result in lawsuits.