I've been holed up a charming hotel in the Welsh countryside all week long, on a songwriting retreat led by Chris Difford. This is my third such week -- the first was back in '04. They're always a whole lot of fun, and very productive. About half of my Washing Day album was written at a retreat in Italy, just weeks before recording began for the Washing Day sessions. We're three days into this week and I've already finished seven new songs. The great thing on these weeks is that they're all about co-writing. Difford assigns partners -- in groups of twos or threes -- and our job is simply to write all day long. (With breaks for meals. And afternoon tea.) The new songs are then performed at an informal after-dinner concert for just us writers. It's a hell of a nice way to spend a week!
~Adam