Swan Song Podcast

Episode 116 - Tiny Umbrellas This episode of The Swan Song Podcast features Tiny Umbrellas. Tiny Umbrellas is a Leeds based singer songwriter who describes their sound as being colourful, dreamy and intimate. In this episode of the podcast we hear and discuss a beautiful, unreleased song about platonic love as well as lots of insightful songwriting tips. DTs song choice about bereavement is "Skyli...

Episode 116 - Satnam Galsian This episode of The Swan Song Podcast features Satnam Galsian. Satnam Galsian is a British Asian singer- songwriter and progressive folk artist from Leeds. Her songs are deeply rooted in her personal experiences, drawing on her own journey of identity, belonging, and empowerment. With themes that centre around women’s stories, Satnam explores the complexities of naviga...

Episode 115 - Rennie Sparks (The Handsome Family) This episode of The Swan Song Podcast features Rennie Sparks from The Handsome Family. The Handsome Family  is an American music duo consisting of husband and wife Brett and Rennie Sparks. Their music takes influence from many different genres and combines Rennies fascinating lyrics, often dark narratives with elements of humour, with Bretts b...

Episode 114 - Ron Sexsmith This episode of The Swan Song Podcast features Ron Sexsmith. Ron Sexsmith is a three time, Juno award winning singer songwriter from St Catharines Ontario. Ron has released albums on a consistent basis since 1995 and has recorded with noted producers Mitchell Froom, Daniel Lanois, Steve Earle, Jim Scott, Don Kerr, Brad Jones, Bob Rock, and Martin Terefe. His extensive so...

Episode 113 - Bryde This episode of The Swan Song Podcast features Bryde. "Guitarist and vocalist Sarah Howells has been making music for over 20 years, ditching Uni in favour of bombing round the UK on a battered old sofa wedged into the back of a transit van. Raised on 90s grunge and 00s emo early biographies mentioned influences like Deftones and Hole, Tori Amos and Jeff Buckley later shifting...

Episode 112 - Duncan Lloyd (Maximo Park) This episode of The Swan Song Podcast features Duncan Lloyd. Duncan Lloyd is a prolific songwriter, best known as a founding member of Maximo Park. Duncan has released eight studio albums with Maximo Park as well as several solo albums and various other projects. He is also a visual artist. In this podcast we discuss the writing of some of Duncans solo song...

Episode 111 - Bob Heath This episode of The Swan Song Podcast features Bob Heath. Bob Heath is a songwriter and music therapist who has been hugely influential in promoting the use of therapeutic songwriting in music therapy. He also has significant experience of writing songs with terminally ill and bereaved people and has written a book about this called "Songs from a window". In this episode we...

Episode 110 - Sodajerker This episode of The Swan Song Podcast features songwriting duo Sodajerker. Sodajerker is made up of Dr Simon Barber and Brian O'Connor who have been writing songs together for many years. In 2011 they started the "Sodajerker on Songwriting" Podcast which has released over 300 episodes to date including many of the worlds most successul songwriters. Their podcast has been a...

Episode 109 - Linda Magistris OBE (Grief Awareness Week Special) Listen to this special edition of The Swan Song Podcast for Grief Awareness Week 2025 with Linda Magistris OBE. Linda is the founder of The Good Grief Trust. A UK charity that aims to raise awareness of the support available to those suffering with bereavement. In this episode Linda shares her story of how she came to start The Good...

Episode 108 - Prof Sophie Daniels (Liberty's Mother) The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is meaningful to th...

Episode 107 - Hannah White The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is meaningful to them in some way relating to...

Episode 106 - Hannah Scott The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is meaningful to them in some way relating to...

Episode 105 of The Swan Song Podcast is a special edition for Grief Awareness Week 2024 and features Trudi Galloway. Trudi recently wrote a song with The Swan Song Project dedicated to her Son Benjamin who sadly died by suicide in 2020. The song is called "Start Talking" and aims encourage people to talk more about their mental health. In this episode she talks more about her song and how she foun...

Episode 104 - Danny Wilson (Danny & The Champions of The World) The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is m...

Episode 103 - Lucky Iris The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is meaningful to them in some way relating to b...

Episode 102 - Sean Taylor The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is meaningful to them in some way relating to...

Episode 101 - Edwina Hayes The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is meaningful to them in some way relating to...

Episode 100 is a very special episode where I speak to 2 people who have written songs with The Swan Song Project over recent years. Both share a bit about their song, how they found writing it and offer some advice to anyone else thinking of writing their first song. Part 1 features Richard Gibson who wrote a song for his son Leo who died by suicide in 2021. The song is called Forever Young (Boy...

Episode 99 - Chaz Jankel (The Blockheads) The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is meaningful to them in some...

Episode 98 - Sam Carter The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is meaningful to them in some way relating to be...

Episode 97 - Polly Paulusma The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is meaningful to them in some way relating t...

Episode 96 - Megan Henwood The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is meaningful to them in some way relating to...

Episode 95 - Sam Griffiths (The Howl & The Hum) The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is meaningful to the...

Episode 94 - Ruth Lyon The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is meaningful to them in some way relating to ber...

Episode 93 - Amelia Coburn The Swan Song Project Podcast features a range of Songwriters to talk about songwriting and bereavement. Swan Song founder Ben Buddy Slack asks each guest to: A) Share one of their songs and talk a bit about how they wrote it B) Share a songwriting tip that could be useful to new and aspiring songwriters. C) Share a song that is meaningful to them in some way relating to...