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We bounced in to Perugia airport, after a crystal clear crossing of the Alps, and squinting in the golden sun, we traipsed across the tarmac in to the tiny airport.
A police Alsatian yelped enthusiastically around the luggage, and the middle-aged Brits pushed and shoved each other in barely disguised panic.
I walked outside to get a whiff of Italy. It was the same strong sun, hard dried earth and best of all the steady rasp of the crickets.
The other musicians gradually stumbled out and we loaded the van with guitars and bags and headed of for the mountain hideaway of Monestevole, perched high above the town of Umbertide. It is the estate of Alesio Giottoli and the home of Daltonico studios, it has played host to Zucchero and the Prince of Italy.
This week it would welcome Chris Difford’s writing retreat. Fifteen eager songwriters locked together in an Italian farmhouse for seven days, recalling an Agatha Christie novel or with the nations represented including UK (disproportionately of Scottish extraction!) USA, Canada, and New Zealand, perhaps some strange summit.
The charming stone building was fifty foot high and a hundred feet long, the hills surrounded us, before framing some huge mountains in the distance and olive groves and fields stretching down the valley. Other farms were visible on the opposite slopes, and the silence was lovely
Behind the house there was freshwater swimming pool, and next to that a recording studio, manned by American Sean and Art. Three children, various cats, two dogs, four pigs and a couple of horses wandered easily around the grounds.
Sweet chords above the snow line and harmonies
Guitars strummed, piano’s tinkled and the flies buzzed around us as we broke of to groups to write a song, which we would then perform in front of a huge olive wood fire, in the evening. Red wine and local beer, Sambucca and strong coffee, all contributed their bit and some lovely songs were written.
I had not spent a week in the Italian countryside for a decade or so and it was great. Thank you very much Chris for inviting us all to such a secret place.
Check it out at www.daltonicostudios.com and see what I am going on about.
Special mention to Riley of the group “Aberfeldy” and Kenton from the band "IST", nice to meet you geezers, and of course to Dorie Jackson whose long awaited solo album is now ready.
1. A la recherche du temps perdus...
2. US tour dates
3. March 2010
4. New material - a note from William...
5. 10.30 pm Zurich old Town...
6. Christmas greetings...
7. London gig in December...
8. A tour diary by William...
9. William Topley and the Sea Gypsies present WATER TAXI. Out now!!
10. 20.04.2009
11. 11.03.09
12. 26.01.09
13. Happy New Year!
14. The leaves are turning red upon the cherry trees and the beech woods are going golden in the clear autumn sun...
15. UK and US tour dates...
16. 09.06.08
17. 14.04.08
18. 21.01.08
19. 01.12.2007
20. September in Perugia
21. 15.08.07
22. 06.07.2007
23. 07.06.2007
24. 23.04.07
25. 22/03/2007
26. 05-02-07
27. A Message From William:
US Tour 2005, photo courtesy of Barry Scovel
