Here we go again, my little Hot Tub amigos! Yes it’s time for another Singles Night at Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub – grab a cocktail and jump right in, we’ve got some listening to do!

Do I really need to explain what we’re up to, here? OK, well very quickly then: I have a pile of 7 inch singles that I’ve acquired from various places, all of different artists and genres. On Singles Night, I play through a stack of ’em in order, A side then B side, and we go on a musical odyssey.

Sound like fun? Well it is. Drink up and let’s rock with this latest selection:

1. The Cult – “She Sells Sanctuary” / “No. 13”
2. Iron Maiden – “Infinite Dreams (Live)” / “Killers (Live)”
3. Rod Stewart – “Lost in You” / “Almost Illegal”
4. Steve Miller Band – “Rock’n’Me” / “The Window”
5. Bob Marley & The Wailers – “Mr Chatterbox” / “Mr Chatterbox (Version)”
6. Wizzard – “Rock’n’Roll Winter (Loony’s Tune)” / “Dream of Unwin”
7. Hot Chocolate – “A Child’s Prayer” / “Everything Should Be Funky”
8. Mud – “Show Me You’re a Woman” / “Don’t You know”
9. Bay City Rollers – “I Only Wanna Be With You” / “Rock’n’Roller”
10. The Kartoon Krew – “Inspector Gadget” / “Inspector Gadget Dub”
11. Snap! – “The Power” / “The Power (Dub)”
12. Nicole – ” A Little Peace” / “Thank You, Mercy”
13. Bob Marley & The Wailers – “Stir It Up (Alt. Jamaican Version)” / “Stir It Up (Alt. Jamaican Instrumental)”
14. Katrina & The Waves – “Walking on Sunshine” / “Going Down to Liverpool”
15. Hot Chocolate – “Disco Queen” / “You’re a Natural High”
16. UK Subs – “She’s Not There” / “Kicks” / “Victim” / “The Same Thing”
17. Run DMC – “Walk This Way” / “Walk This Way (Instrumental)”
18. Iron Maiden – “Run to the Hills” / “Total Eclipse”
19. The Nolans – “Attention to Me” / “Old Feelings Again”
20. Chas & Dave – “Gertcha” / “The Banging in Your Head”

Another twenty 45 rpm slabs of varying quality there, but I’m not including Katrina (great song!) or Chas & Dave (who can do no wrong) in the dodgy list.

We started with possibly my favourite song of all time, the wonderful “She Sells Sanctuary”. Love that tune. I never had the 7″ as a kid, I bought the 12″ as it had an extra track on it, as I was always obsessed with collecting B sides. That was in 1989, however, well after the single was originally released in ’85.

Other highlights included a double dose of Iron Maiden, a UK Subs EP and the classic Run DMC single “Walk This Way”. Not to mention a couple of very cool Bob Marley singles, both of which were Record Store Day purchases.

As I said, Singles Night is always a journey, from well known paths to the very different excursions. I can recommend it as a fun evening.

I really should do this more often.