Interview with NATURE OF WIRES + MACHINA X (2/2)

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An ’80s classic with a new, darker twist: With their interpretation of Icehouse’s “Hey Little Girl,” Gary Watts (Nature of Wires) and Annie James (Machina X) give the well-known song a unique, intense touch. Read our two-part interview here. Did you miss the first part? No problem—you can read it here.

Orkus: The original is the epitome of the ’80s! What do you associate with that decade?

Annie James: That’s a good question—and actually a whole essay in itself! Musically, there was no doubt that this decade had something very special about it. It was as if someone had turned on a musical faucet—so many icons emerged in the ’80s, so many major influences, and new genres were springing up everywhere, which definitely struck a chord with me! I remember how, as a child, I absorbed every bit of music I came across through TV, the radio, or friends. I was particularly fascinated by the many synth artists with their strong, unique identities. To a little kid, it all seemed somehow otherworldly, magical—a theatrical form of escapism. Those early music videos might seem a bit cheesy today, but back then they were anything but. That era laid the foundation for my deep appreciation of many different genres of music, which I still love to immerse myself in today and which will always inspire me.
Gary Watts: The years between 1979 and 1985 were my teenage years. It seems to me that most people hold on to the music they loved as teenagers—and I’m no exception. It’s a time when your brain and personality undergo major changes, and so many songs from that era bring back very specific memories of school, college, places, and girls I was in love with.

O: What do you appreciate most about each other?
A: Aside from his obvious musical and technical talent, he can be incredibly patient and tolerant when we write songs together. I love being involved in developing the instrumental side of things, and sometimes I have, um… interesting ideas for the production—things that work in my head and that I can hear. And Gary is willing to try them out. “Static Icons” is full of them.

He listens to me, values my creative ideas, and makes sure everything sounds great. He’s a great person in person, too—very down-to-earth and practical. For someone like me, that’s a real anchor, especially when we’re performing. He definitely has a calming effect, and it’s a joy to work with him. I’d better stop now before I start gushing even more about him, hahaha!
G: Annie isn’t just a great songwriter—she also has an incredible ear for music. Mine is terrible. Her attention to detail is amazing. Sometimes she drives me crazy, especially when we’ve already reached the twelfth version of a song and there are still a few consonants that aren’t loud enough. But Annie is never wrong, and the small changes usually only take a few minutes. I joke about it, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

O: What are your plans for the near future? Will there be more from the two of you?

A: I’d love to think there’s more to come from us. Gary has been particularly busy with other projects, and besides, we both have day jobs. And since we live four hours apart, organizing concerts requires extra planning—I’m still working on that! I’d definitely love to play more live shows, especially since we already have a setlist with about eight or nine songs. So I guess it’s just a matter of waiting and seeing!

G: Earlier this year, I invested in a lot of analog equipment from Moog, and I’m planning to create a collection of short instrumental pieces, each featuring different singers—including Annie. Actually, we’re way overdue on writing a new song. But since I’ve been so busy this year with Deviant and Nature of Wires—together with my original singer, Andrew—the Moogs have mostly been gathering dust, and the project hasn’t really gotten off the ground. My priority, as soon as I get back to it, is to write something new for Annie. Then we’d have enough material to release an album featuring the singles that have already come out, as well as one or two new songs.