PIVOTAL SLICE: on writing & composing

Mar 04 2025 54 ep. 55 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
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My Computer Died and I Lost My Album!

Mar 04 2025 35 mins  
It's every composer's worst nightmare. David shares how he lost a year’s worth of work on his album when his computer died. He talks to Jade about his addiction to the creative process, and the lessons learned from death and rebirth. At the end of the episode you can hear the only track that survived the catastrophe, ‘A Place You Know’. Music and production by David Mackenzie

Emotional Pain and ‘The Substance’ (2024)

Feb 11 2025 23 mins  
Jade talks about the panic attack she experienced while watching Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance. Music and production by David Mackenzie FOLLOW AND SUPPORT US Buy us a coffee or join our Patreon for exclusive content and 1:1 artist support. Find us on socials: Instagram Facebook TikTok Email us at [email protected] Follow your hosts, Jade Green and David Mackenzie

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 mo

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

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 pro

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 Mackenzie FOLLOW AND SUPPORT US Buy us a coffee or join our Patreon for exclusive content and 1:1 artist

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

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 writing Find out more about Inés on her websi

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 - &n...

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 -