Manchester Soul Jukebox
You've Got to Pay The Price
by Al Kent
135
A major sound. A major instrumental. A bouncing along repetitive track. Al Kent released “You've Got To Pay The Price” in 67’ and it became a much sought after recording and quite difficult to obtain. Al Kent was born Albert Prentis Hamilton in 1937 and was an excellent band leader and record arranger. A CD of Al Kent exists which includes R and B tracks but sadly, “You’ve Got To Pay The Price” does not feature on it. Al Kent's first release was “The Way You've Been Acting Lately” on Ric-Tic - 123. His last was “Oooh Pretty Woman” (Ric Tik 133). Ric-Tic was an independent label bought by Motown in 1966. Ric-Tic It was formerly part of Golden World Records. One of Detroit's main recording companies, its studio was at 3246 West Davison. It became Motown Studio B. It was bought by Berry Gordy to kill off local competition and to stop ‘his’ musicians (Notably the Funk Brothers) from moonlighting at the nearby studio’s. Al Kent was also a music producer and at Ric-Tic he produced the artiste Rose Batiste who had some success with her single: “Holding Hands”. Anything on the Ric-Tic was sort after at the time. Twisted Wheel goers first came upon Ric-Tic by loving as we did: “Headline News”, “Agent Double O Soul” and “Stop Her On Sight” and its fabulous B side “I Have Faith in You Baby” - all by Edwin Starr and cut at Ric-Tic / New World before it was bought out by Motown as outlined above. The single “Holding hands” was aired quite often at the Blue Note Club, Manchester, but we missed “Hit and Run (Revilot) made popular on the 1970’s Northern Soul Scene. Gloria Taylor did a wonderful vocal version of “You've Got To Pay The Price” and by late 67 both were being played back to back at Manchester’s Soul clubs. Gloria (a white Soul singer) released her version on Silver Fox records USA.
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