Meet Keith Friel | Creator of Utah Funk and multi instrumentalist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Keith Friel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Keith, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I built myself on risks! I quit everything i knew construction, good money, living in a home. I left my job and chose to pursue music, after a 7 year battle with heroin. I slept behind the Christian Science church on brooks ave in venice, i busked everyday so i could eat candy bars and sum pringles. It was the hardest times in my life but im so glad i did it. If i didnt take those risks i wouldnt be where i am today! I learned so much coming to LA. After years of residing in venice beach I finally now have worked my way to be apart of the scene out here. I went from seeing and hearing about radio venice to playing it and becoming friends with everyone in the scene. I love it here and i plan to keep taking risks to move forward… most people who dont take risks get stuck in small town usa raising kids and that aint for me. I plan to keep building my music even if that means i risk living a “normal” life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Being an artist is probably one of the most challenging jobs ive ever had. Its not just slapping on a coat of paint and good to go… its years and years of practicing so much you dont really have many friends. Its putting music before anything else even if that means putting it before your girlfriend or family sometimes. Choosing to pursue music has had me in extremely uncomfortable situations. A part of me believes one cannot declare themselves a starving artist without having actually starved. A big lesson i also learned!! One of the biggest in my book is choose carefully who you will work and share art with. Everyone knows who axl rose is… nobody wants that in a band lol it worked in the late 80’s-90’s on the sunset strip and he was great sometimes. Really be careful on who you work with or ya might end up with stolen music and an ego the size or uranus. If i could send out any message with my music and art its youre not alone anything you think thats happening to you thats bad could be worse and we gotta be thankful for life even thankful for the bad stuff and lessons we learn.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Best places to see shows in LA imo are zebulon and teragram ballroom… hands down best places to rage out and jam. Food wise teddys red tacos on windward ave in venice is money. If ya want some great brews brewed in the city hit up arts distric brewery in downtown or if you’re in venice hit up the del monte speak easy. If ya wanna get really trippy go hang out at the madcap motel. Gotta just sit and hang out in venice with your doobie bros while in LA its a must!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I wanna shout out radio venice tv and the musicbox micro stage both great local venice performance hubs that I frequent and these places both helped me stay sane through the pandemic. If it wasnt for those two venues to play idk what i would have done and it probably wouldnt be pretty. I also owe credit to the kids who go out of their way to show people new music. Without them kids we wouldnt be discovering new stuff. And too all the people who stuck by me i really am appreciative of my fans!! Ive lost a lot of good friends and made some even better ones and good friends that inspire you and make you feel wanted and important are necessary to thrive in life.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/utah_funk?utm_medium=copy_link

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UtahFunk666/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCHieUPBPsQ_Fh0hal_Ztz7w

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6MqrMEHGkPzEmUxr7l8wwN?si=X2uXnrDGS42TFzLvMq9WUQ&dl_branch=1

Image Credits
Utah funk cartoons- forrest chiras of limitless productions Venice beach photo of me – @spencernospencing on insta The rest is by me