Since the release of their self-titled debut album in 1997 (and before) Way Out West (Nick Warren and Jody Wisternoff) has been ever-present in the world of dance music (and beyond). In addition to their acclaimed albums and live sets, WOW songs have been included in soundtracks, television shows, and even video games. Ever the diligent workers, when not doing WOW projects, the two can be found playing sets around the globe, doing mixes for the likes of Global Underground, creating innovative sample packs, and generally taking care of business. Their latest album We Love Machine is a sonic treasure-trove for lovers of vintage analogue synths. Nick and Jody were kind enough to permit me an interview to discuss the album, the gear, and the scene.
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Q: This is the first Way Out West album to be recorded in your own studio. As I believe you’ve said, freedom was the biggest advantage. Conversely, the mixing environment wasn’t quite what you were used to in a full-blown studio, and if something went awry, if was up to you to fix it. Other than the glaring differences, what else was unique about the making of We Love Machine?
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A: JW – The last 2 WOW albums were mixed in an SSL studio with the help of an engineer, but since then I’ve learned a lot about ITB (in the box) Pro Tools mixing techniques and have done many final mixes for my solo material which I am happy with, so I felt confident enough to carry out the task at home. Robert Babicz who mastered the album gave me some very helpful advice along the way, and after investing in some new outboard equipment and a lot of listening hours I think I achieved my goal. Apart from this, nothing was especially unique apart from the fact that we collected a bunch of old synths and also worked exclusively with a male vocalist Jon Mendelsohn.
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Q: Given the helical path of your working relationship, had anything changed when you met up in the middle and returned to the studio?
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A: NW – It always works very well. We have a great understanding and respect for each others ideas and always seem to tread the same path when we work on the next WOW project.
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A: JW – Not really, because there was never a time when we were not working together. I kicked off my solo career 3 years ago, but this doesn’t mean I put WOW on hold. We would still meet up on a regular basis and get our heads together. The only difference really these days is the ability to work out ideas on the road more efficiently, and bounce stuff back and forth so that when we collaborate in the studio we are more prepared.

Q: Looking at the album as a whole, the first few tracks “We Love Machine” and “One Bright Night” and some of the more ambient tracks interspersed throughout the album represent what I expected to hear on this record. I wasn’t expecting some of the disco in the second half, but quite enjoyed it. Three tracks, to my ears, stand out. “Bodymotion” feels like a nod to the new wave of the 80s. “Future Perfect” and “Ultraviolet” which are my two favorites from the album, feel like two sides of the same coin. Were they written in succession? Can you talk about what you wanted to achieve with those songs?
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A: JW – Ultraviolet was written way before actually. It was initially called Jupiter, and this is because it was the first track I wrote when we got the classic Jupiter 8 synth. It was always a dream of mine to get one, its such a great synth for those sharp techno style stabs, and we’ve ended up using it all over the album. Despite being over 20 years old, it still seems to be able to make forward thinking sounds. Future Perfect came much later. I found a website for a synth called the Hammond Novachord which was built in the 1920s I think. Full of valves and looking like a church organ, I think it was maybe the first ever polysynth. Anyway, the website contained a bunch of audio samples, which I chopped up and became the basis for the track. I wanted this track to have a melodic, almost romantic vibe – driving but also kinda laid back. E music, basically.
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Q: You were asked in an interview what advice you would give aspiring producers and DJs. Nick – you said (I’m paraphrasing) “to listen to very little dance music to prevent original ideas from being squashed”. When you started out, was that how you were operating, or has the landscape changed such that it is pointless to draw comparisons?
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A: NW – I was slightly misquoted there. I said that DJ’s shouldn’t listen to other DJ sets too much. I think it steers you away from your own unique style and maybe even make you copy others. I think it’s vital to follow your own instincts as a DJ and believe in your own taste and choices.
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Q: Jody – in the same interview you mentioned the saturation of similar sounds due to many new producers using the same soft synths and programs. Where is the line between (as Nick suggests) keeping your mind fresh, and discovering what’s out there to avoid repetition?
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A: JW – I don’t think there’s anything wrong with immersing yourself in the current sound. DJs are fickle creatures and you need to be making stuff that sounds kinda familiar in order for your tracks to get played. The key is to try to take a style one step further I suppose, and to achieve this I’d say try to think outside the box, but still within certain parameters. Avoid using the obvious presets and just experiment with sound.
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Q: Jody – Was your decision to make an Artist Series Loopmasters sample pack based on a desire to shake things up a bit, or was it just for the money?
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A: JW – I just wanted to put a sample pack out there with sounds that I would be happy to use myself. I mostly used hardware synths that a lot of people don’t have access too, and kept the riffs as unprocessed as possible to make them more usable in the mix.
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Q: During a video tour of your studio, I noticed that you are using Pro Tools. I would have guessed Logic. Is the assumption that it’s Pro Tools in the US and Logic in the UK dead? Was it ever true? Did either of you use Logic in the past? If so, why the switch?
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A: NW – We have used Logic heavily in the past but with the massive improvements made to Ableton we find that it is our first choice for writing. We then transfer everything over to Pro Tools for the final mixes.
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A: JW – Yeah that’s right. We use Ableton for writing, and Pro Tools for arrangement and mixing. I used to have Logic on my laptop, but Ableton just came along and kicked its arse! I love the way it deals with audio. We are from the sampler era so the elastic audio facility and the ability to pitch audio up and down on the arrangement page is just a complete joy and way ahead of the game. I’ve heard Logic has finally caught up now with version 9, but for me the Albeton/Pro Tools combination is deadly. As for the US/UK debate, I say it’s more a case of Pro Tools is used in all the pro studios for tracking bands etc and also hiphop, whereas Logic has always had the upper hand when it comes to dance music.
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Q: Viewers of that same interview were treated to a shot of a huge shiny box on your wall that looks like it would be marvelous to use. You said it was a custom build. Can you go into a bit more depth about this recent acquisition?
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A: JW – This is the Macbeth M5N. It’s a semi-modular 3 osc. monosynth very similar in design to the classic Arp2600. Not actually custom built, more built to order so we had to wait about 6 months. He only made 60 of them so they are really collectible, and we actually met him (Ken Macbeth) in Scotland recently. Phil from Orbital introduced me to him. They are using one as part of their new live rig.
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Q: There is a huge range on sounds on this album. Despite the title of the album, I’ll ask anyway – to what extent, if at all, are there live instruments on We Love Machine?
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A: NW – We use a mish-mash of everything; our extensive analogue collection, live instruments and a healthy dose of old school sampling.
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A: JW – The main staccato sound in Bodymotion is actually a flute being blown in a percussive way, layered about 6 times in different keys. The recordings were initially for the track Spaceman, but often things evolve in this way. There is live rhythm guitar and percussion in We Love Machine, plus some strumming in One Bright Night.
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Q: And lastly, my way out question that is probably only of interest to me (well, the first bit anyway): Does the name Way Out West have any connection to the Sunny Rollins album of the same name? I have a sneaking suspicion that the answer is no, but if it does, who is the Rollins fan? If, as I suspect, I am wrong, what’s the back-story on the name?
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A: JW – Unless Nick is a closet fan, then its definitely a no. The name is more a reference to location (Bristol is 2 hours west of London ), and also a description of our musical state of mind.
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A: NW – I am afraid not, although it is a great album, it is more a reference to us being Bristol boys in the west country of England.
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Many thanks to Jody and Nick for taking the time to answer my questions.

Tags: Interview, Jody Wisternoff, Nick Warren, Way Out West