PIVOTAL SLICE: on writing & composing

Jan 21 2025 52 ep. 56 mins
PIVOTAL SLICE: on writing & composing Podcast artwork

Jade Green (writer) and David Mackenzie (composer) delve deep into the creative process, speaking to a wide range of innovators, rule-breakers and experts to get to the root of what drives us as artists.

  Arts  Society & Culture  Music
RSS feed Share
Copy RSS


Subscribe on Podcast Addict


Collaborating from the Heart with Denise Santos and David Mackenzie

Jan 21 2025 52 mins  
Jade sits down with Denise Santos and David Mackenzie to talk about their recent collaboration on a new piece of music, ‘Transition’, which you can hear at the end of the episode.They discuss drawing on emotional experiences, balancing work with mental health, and how the story of the music came together during the making of the piece.Support the track on Spotify. Find out more

Everything You’ve Been Told About Storytelling is Wrong

Sep 03 2024 48 mins  
Jade and David discuss the art of storytelling through writing and music. They talk about:How stories can be made into a somatic experienceUnderstanding character motivation and creating ‘real’ peopleThe perfectly ambiguous ending of Twin Peaks: The ReturnHow we can make stories that will change the world for the better‘The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.’ Read T

Masking, Neurodivergence, and Posing Nude with Eva Aldea

Aug 13 2024 68 mins  
Jade talks to writer Eva Aldea about living a creative life while managing the impacts of neurodivergence. They also discuss the ‘brand’ Eva has built on Instagram, where she is posing nude as a way of querying aging, masking, and perceptions of the female body.Eva Aldea is a writer, lecturer and editor. Her first novel Singapore (Holland House Books 2023), and her book in prog

Transforming Trauma

Jul 30 2024 47 mins  
David and Jade talk about the uses of trauma in the creative process. They explore: how we are reflected in the art we make and consumethe inner journey of the artist using creativity to surrender controlhow trauma transforms us, for better or worseMusic and production by David MackenzieFOLLOW AND SUPPORT USBuy us a coffee or join our Patreon for exclusive content and 1:1 artist su

Integrating Music and Nature with Dolores Catherino

Jul 16 2024 62 mins  
David chats with musician, composer, researcher and sound explorer Dolores Catherino about her mission of expanding musical consciousness.They discuss:Finding your unique voice through exploration, not imitationHow AI is impacting the landscape of musicDolores’ research and development into a new ‘pitch colour’ systemUses of meditation and intuitive practices to study music F

Writing from Your Roots with Inés G. Labarta

Jul 02 2024 66 mins  
Jade speaks to writer Inés G. Labarta about her latest novel, The Three Lives of Saint Ciarán, and how she develops stories from identity, place and intention. They discuss:- Rewriting myths from a queer, immigrant perspective- The process of publishing and dealing with rejection- The role of ego and mental and spiritual health in writingFind out more about Inés on her website,

Emotional Immaturity and ‘Challengers’ (2024)

Jun 11 2024 36 mins  
Content warning for strong language.Jade and David talk about their recent cinema experiences, including Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Challengers’, and try to get to the bottom of why so many stories are emotionally immature. They discuss: - The role of open-mindedness in creativity - Depicting healthy relationships in film- How we ‘project our demons’ into what we create- &...

Listening to Your Inner Voice with Michael Beinhorn

Apr 09 2024 69 mins  
David sits down with renowned music producer, composer and writer Michael Beinhorn to discuss his unique approaches to collaboration and the creative process. Michael has worked with legendary artists including Herbie Hancock, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Hole, and it’s an honour to have him on the show.David and Michael discuss:- The power of creative visualisation - S

The Power of Sound with Martin Coat & David Mackenzie

Mar 26 2024 73 mins  
Jade speaks to David and his collaborator Martin Coat about their Arts Council funded development project ‘MonoMyth’. Martin and David set out to deconstruct sound, from its physical qualities to its effect on brain waves. We discuss:- How to approach research and set an intention for a large project- The impact of our sonic environment on mental and physical health- Uses of th

What is 'Tone'?

Feb 27 2024 28 mins  
Trigger warning for discussion of sexual violence in media.David and Jade attempt to break down the elusive concept of ‘tone’. They discuss the balance of light and dark in HBO's Succession, the role of intention in the writing process, and the rapey vibes of Poor Things. You can read Jade’s review of Poor Things here: Men explain sexual liberation to me in 'Poor Things'Music