Queer Cabaret Wordrock
Brooklyn, NY
Twilight of the Idle is the project of pianist, songwriter, and vocalist Ricky Itai Gal* accompanied on drums by Lindsay Haughton. Twilight of the Idle plays music that incorporates elements of rock, jazz, and cabaret, with spoken words, timing experimentation and a little bit of reggae-style keyboard. Ricky is a believer of the power of the pen, and uses music as a forum for political and social topics.
Ricky’s lyrics range from the subtle and upbeat “Be A Lady,” a fictitious account of being expelled from charm school, to unapologetically impassioned spoken word pieces. He blushingly admits that he grew up on showtunes, being a theater kid in New Jersey. He got a keyboard for his bat-mitzvah, and his love for music and performing channeled itself into composition. Ricky likes saying things like “his bat mitzvah”. He recorded his first album, a pop album, at age 15.
In 2005, when Ricky was a sophomore at SUNY Purchase, he formed Twilight of the Idle. At the time, they were a four-piece rock band influenced by Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage, and the like, with a Vaudevillian twist. They performed on campus as well as NYC clubs like the Pyramid and the late CBGB’s 313.
Although cabaret is the unifying element of Twilight of the Idle’s music, Ricky’s more recent influences come from experimental jazz, reggae, and spoken word. All of these sides of him can be heard on Twilight of the Idle’s first album, “Modesty,” was released in February 2009 and is available on CD Baby and iTunes.
Twilight of the Idle is currently based in Brooklyn, NY, and perform locally and beyond. Ricky collaborated with renowned writer Jan Clausen, and wrote the music to her song “If Peace Breaks Out,” which will appear on his next album.
Outside of Twilight of the Idle, Ricky teaches music at youth programs and piano lessons privately. He enjoys biking, hiking, the beach, yoga, poetry readings, modern art, non-fiction books, and vegetables. He hopes to carve out a bigger space for transgender musicians, and inspire positive social change. *Ricky is also credited as Rickie Gal.
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