Queer Cabaret Wordrock
Brooklyn, NY
Twilight of the Idle describes themselves as “queer cabaret wordrock” but what, you ask, is queer cabaret wordrock? It is Ricky Riot’s thought-provoking, fun, direct, and well-crafted lyrics and Vaudevillian piano playing, the rock-n-roll jolt of Juliana Brown’s masterful guitar skills, a splash of brass from trombonist Lily Paulina, and Lindsay Haughton’s versatile drumming that sits in the pocket like a baby kangeroo.
Ricky Riot started Twilight of the Idle in 2005 at SUNY Purchase, where he studied studio composition. After several different versions of the band, he released the first Twilight of the Idle album, Modesty, in January of 2009. Modesty is available on CD Baby and iTunes, and features Ricky’s many different sides: Heartfelt spoken-word pieces and timing experimentation, lightened by bluesy cabaret.
Shortly after recording Modesty, he started performing with Lindsay Haughton, a self-identified Funktastic Groove Machine who can bang on anything with finesse. He and Lindsay both volunteer at Willie Mae Rock Camp For Girls. He joined forces with multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Juliana Brown after they both heard each other play at an event at the New York LGBT Center. They both love improvising and share an appreciation for the Doors, and they instantly hit it off.
Twilight of the Idle is currently recording their new album, The Only Queers In The Room, produced by Ricky and Julie and engineered by Juno Black. The album is expected to come out in early May. Unlike the minimalism of Modesty, which only has vocals, piano, and drums, the band’s new album falls just short of setting up a mic by the kitchen sink and having Lindsay bang it with a mallet. One song even has a choir. Ricky plays several keyboard instruments including Hammond organ, Julie plays several guitars, bass, and balalaika, and Lindsay plays percussion instruments in addition to drum kit. The songs on The Only Queers In The Room are both upbeat and socially conscious, with anthemic hooks to sing along to, danceable beats, and lots of solos. Julie also sings and writes on a few songs, and poet Jan Clausen wrote the lyrics on one. And yes, the voice you hear is Ricky’s, two octaves lower.
Twilight of the Idle have been included in the Tranny Roadshow’s Brooklyn show, opened for a large-scale production of The Vagina Monologues, and performed at Camp Trans in Michigan and Make Music New York. Their song Colder will be included in Trans-Fusions 2, the second compilation CD by Trans-Genre, which will be released in March. In addition to the usual bars and clubs, the band’s list of past venues include house parties, street fairs, art openings, a book release, benefits, and other community events. They love radical spaces such as Vox Pop and 60 Main. They have their audiences laughing, dancing, thinking, nodding their heads vehemently in agreement, singing along to I’m Not Buying Your Sh*t Anymore, and occasionally giving dirty looks and dropping the mailing list like a hot potato so that it won’t make them gay.
When not writing or playing piano, Ricky works at an after-school program and teaches piano lessons privately. He likes to ride his bicycle, work out, and learn guitar. Julie likes to listen to records and hang out with her cat, Oreo. Lily plays in the Rude Mechanical Orchestra, and Lindsay’s numerous other groups include Gamelan Dharma Swara, Suzy Sellout, and the 42nd Army Band.
Twilight of the Idle is dedicated to smashing patriarchy and ending oppression, creating a bigger space for transgender musicians, and making the world a more welcoming place for gender non-normative people. Their mission is to inspire people to take action on the issues about which they are passionate, and to have fun in the process.
Links to Twilight of the Idle:
Official Twilight of the Idle Website
