Native Alloys are an indie/alternative
rock 3 piece from Pittsburgh and have been playing together since June 2014.
They are currently recording their first EP with an anticipated early summer
release. They are on a crazy cool bill this Saturday (4/4) at
Howler's and I want to thank Nick Kowalski (Drums), Joe Pisciotti (Bass)
and Bryan Lepri (Guitar/Vocals) for taking the time to participate in this
edition of First/Last.
The first album you ever bought?
Nick Kowalski: The first album I ever bought is embarrassing, so I want to skirt the question and answer with something I have no shame about: The first single I ever bought was Eddy Grant’s “Electric Ave.” I liked it on both 33 and 45, so it was like having two songs per side….sort of.
Joe Pisciotti: “Tubthumping” by Chumbawawmba on cassette. Followed by Smash Mouth's “Astro Lounge”. It was an awkward stage for me.
Bryan Lepri: Smashing Pumpkins “Gish”.
Nick Kowalski: The first album I ever bought is embarrassing, so I want to skirt the question and answer with something I have no shame about: The first single I ever bought was Eddy Grant’s “Electric Ave.” I liked it on both 33 and 45, so it was like having two songs per side….sort of.
Joe Pisciotti: “Tubthumping” by Chumbawawmba on cassette. Followed by Smash Mouth's “Astro Lounge”. It was an awkward stage for me.
Bryan Lepri: Smashing Pumpkins “Gish”.
Your last album bought?
Nick: Like physical album? The way music is consumed has drastically changed in the last 5 years, personally and in general I guess. I buy a lot of MP3 albums while waiting at the airport now. Most recently I downloaded Ty Segall’s “Manipulator”. The last CD I bought was in 2011: I bought Battles’ “Gloss Drop” and found the whole experience really inconvenient. The irony of that statement is that I collect LPs and picked up Ten Years After “Shhh” last weekend.
Joe: Reissue of "Painful" from Yo La Tengo.
Bryan: Stooges “Fun House” remastered.
Nick: Like physical album? The way music is consumed has drastically changed in the last 5 years, personally and in general I guess. I buy a lot of MP3 albums while waiting at the airport now. Most recently I downloaded Ty Segall’s “Manipulator”. The last CD I bought was in 2011: I bought Battles’ “Gloss Drop” and found the whole experience really inconvenient. The irony of that statement is that I collect LPs and picked up Ten Years After “Shhh” last weekend.
Joe: Reissue of "Painful" from Yo La Tengo.
Bryan: Stooges “Fun House” remastered.
Favorite album of all time?
Nick: “Exile on Main Street”. Everything about it, the songs, the art, the story behind the album, the legends about making the album, just everything about it is amazing.
Joe: Always tough. It constantly alternates between “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” by Neutral Milk Hotel, either “Automatic for the People” or “Fables of the Reconstruction” from R.E.M., and/or MBV's 2013 self-titled.
Bryan: Van Morrison "Astral Weeks" and Neil Young "On The Beach".
Nick: “Exile on Main Street”. Everything about it, the songs, the art, the story behind the album, the legends about making the album, just everything about it is amazing.
Joe: Always tough. It constantly alternates between “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” by Neutral Milk Hotel, either “Automatic for the People” or “Fables of the Reconstruction” from R.E.M., and/or MBV's 2013 self-titled.
Bryan: Van Morrison "Astral Weeks" and Neil Young "On The Beach".
Least favorite/most disappointing
album?
Nick: I dunno, disappointment would be when I bought the solo Carmen Appice record. I didn’t even want to buy it. I just had to have it to complement the Jeff Beck and Vanilla Fudge in my LP collection. It was really the day I realized my collection was becoming a library.
Joe: Arctic Monkeys ‘2013’. Loved the first single, but wasn’t into the rest.
Bryan: Lou Reed and Metallica “Lulu”.
Nick: I dunno, disappointment would be when I bought the solo Carmen Appice record. I didn’t even want to buy it. I just had to have it to complement the Jeff Beck and Vanilla Fudge in my LP collection. It was really the day I realized my collection was becoming a library.
Joe: Arctic Monkeys ‘2013’. Loved the first single, but wasn’t into the rest.
Bryan: Lou Reed and Metallica “Lulu”.
First concert attended?
Nick: I saw the Karl Hendricks Trio and Hurl at CMU when I was in 8th grade.
Joe: Neil Diamond at the Civic Arena.
Bryan: Yes in Holmdel, NJ.
Nick: I saw the Karl Hendricks Trio and Hurl at CMU when I was in 8th grade.
Joe: Neil Diamond at the Civic Arena.
Bryan: Yes in Holmdel, NJ.
Last concert?
Nick: I went to see Arc Attack. It is this nerd rock thing with this big stage production and Tesla Coils and science-what-have-yous. It was edu-tainment. I took the kids. There was a presentation about electo-magnetism. It was over by 8:30. I wore a tie. The more I talk about it the worse it sounds. Nearly any other day and I would have discussed a Pandemic party. I love the world music acts they bring.
Joe: Bonnaroo in 2014.
Bryan: Spoon at Carnegie Music Hall Pittsburgh.
Nick: I went to see Arc Attack. It is this nerd rock thing with this big stage production and Tesla Coils and science-what-have-yous. It was edu-tainment. I took the kids. There was a presentation about electo-magnetism. It was over by 8:30. I wore a tie. The more I talk about it the worse it sounds. Nearly any other day and I would have discussed a Pandemic party. I love the world music acts they bring.
Joe: Bonnaroo in 2014.
Bryan: Spoon at Carnegie Music Hall Pittsburgh.
Favorite concert ever?
Nick: Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and The Modey Lemon at Rosebud in January 2003. I’ve seen both acts on many occasions. The Modey Lemon was in its infancy, but hitting their stride and the Blues Explosion was peaking.
Joe: Smashing Pumpkins at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago with the Frogs opening.
Bryan: Newport Folk Festival in 2012.
Nick: Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and The Modey Lemon at Rosebud in January 2003. I’ve seen both acts on many occasions. The Modey Lemon was in its infancy, but hitting their stride and the Blues Explosion was peaking.
Joe: Smashing Pumpkins at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago with the Frogs opening.
Bryan: Newport Folk Festival in 2012.
Least favorite concert?
Nick: That’d be any and every time I see one guy with just a Macbook. I will not pay money to see that. That is basically a DJ, not a musician.
Joe: Japandroids. Love their records, but they would benefit from another guitarist or a bass player live.
Nick: That’d be any and every time I see one guy with just a Macbook. I will not pay money to see that. That is basically a DJ, not a musician.
Joe: Japandroids. Love their records, but they would benefit from another guitarist or a bass player live.
Favorite thoughts,
experiences about Pittsburgh?
Nick: I try to be very Zen about the whole thing. Here I am in Pittsburgh, and this is where I am. And I like the liberal attitudes towards drunkenness.
Joe: Pierogies!
Bryan: It's the most beautiful city in the country filled with the best people.
Nick: I try to be very Zen about the whole thing. Here I am in Pittsburgh, and this is where I am. And I like the liberal attitudes towards drunkenness.
Joe: Pierogies!
Bryan: It's the most beautiful city in the country filled with the best people.
Thanks, fellas. Looking forward to hearing some music soon. Us guys in the minor leagues live for that stuff ;)
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