From the quiet hills of Topanga Canyon to the bustling streets of Mexico City, the music of Friends Of seeks to bridge the gap between the honest simplicity of country music and the effervescent ethos of disco. Zeke Reed set out to become a neuroscientist, but quickly realized his true calling was to uplift voices of his community. As a reporter at KCRW in Los Angeles, he finds a fulfillment in journalism that allows him to engage with his diverse interests. Reed came by KHOL while on vacation to discuss his songwriting process, the universal appeals of disco and country, and the critical need for public radio.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. -Ed.
Evan Ballew: I want to jump right in and talk about the new album, “Contemporary Cowboys of the Canyon.” What was the recording process for that one like?
Zeke Reed: I recorded it across a couple different locales largely in Topanga which is where I’m from just in the mountains right outside of L.A. hence “Contemporary Cowboys of the Canyon.” The canyon refers to Topanga and, believe it or not, despite being about 50 feet from the city of L.A. it’s unincorporated L.A. county. I grew up with horses so I come by it somewhat honestly. I know a lot of people from L.A. like to come here and wear cowboy hats and do it for the weekend. But there is some truth in this (also a bit of cosplay). I recorded a lot of it in Topanga and then a good bit of it also in Mexico City, where I spend a decent amount of time.
EB: Could you describe a little bit about the headspace that you need to get into in order to write?
ZR: My studio is an old tool shed that I converted and has wraparound windows overlooking the canyon, so I’m on top of the mountain. I think it alternates for me. I guess sometimes I really need that peace and quiet of nature. I live up in Topanga in a 1971 Airstream trailer, it’s very remote on a dirt road.On the flip side of that, in Mexico City there’s so much energy. This is true of the L.A. music scene too. It’s nice to be able to be in nature and be in that quiet and that solitude and then tap into these like really robust creative flows. And I think it’s moving between those two dynamics that really helps keep the creative juices going for me.
EB: If you were to put together a Venn diagram of disco and country, where do you think the overlap is?
ZR: What I love about country, especially classic country and outlaw country, is “three chords and the truth.” I love a lot of Merle Haggard or Dolly Parton or Johnny Cash or some newer stuff like Orville Peck. I think with disco, too, there’s a sort of simplicity to both genres that make them so universal. Disco is about just making you feel something on the dance floor. I say I make disco, obviously it’s a little bit more eclectic than that if you like really scratch beneath the surface. Disco is kind of an ethos and a mindset and a spirit about inclusion and collective effervescence and being fully yourself. I think country has a lot of that, too. It’s so raw. I may be less of a fan of pop country, but a lot of your roots country and the blues that comes out of it, it’s just honest music. And country, in terms of origin, has such working class roots to it. It was the people who were coming out the mud and the sticks of overlooked places in America. Disco also has a bit of that (more of the urban version) but I think both genres come out of a lot of strife and are about celebrating every person.
EB: You’re a producer and reporter, is that correct? How’d you get involved with that?
ZR: I went to college and studied political philosophy and neuroscience. I thought I was going to be a neuroscience professor. Then I got more involved in politics, and that had always been sort of part of my world. I worked in politics a bit locally and in L.A. It just wasn’t for me, seeing how the sausage is being made, but I still wanted to be a part of that world. I feel like journalism allows me to have a touch point on all of my interests. I can plug in, I can really showcase music and work with other artists. I’m often on the other side of this dial, or the other side of the mic, and then also stay involved in politics. At KCRW, much like KHOL, it has a real balance of local journalism and really good quality magazine talk show programming and a lot of local DJs and music and I feel like those things just fill up my cup.
EB: Can you describe the importance of public radio in today’s world?
ZR: Breaking people out of the algorithm. It’s so easy once they feel like they’ve got you they’re just gonna feed you more of the same stuff. I’ve found great stuff in the algorithm, obviously there’s a value in that, too, and I also like being able to carry my own experience but it’s nice to take yourself out of the equation. I look at it as this immense privilege to have someone else tell you about a song or a story or an event in your community. Here’s a team of dedicated people with good taste, strong values, and who really more than anything just care about their communities on a super deep level. They care and because they want other people to care about the community too.
Listen above for KHOL’s full conversation and live performance with Zeke Reed.
