Back to Back | Steamed Milk

Towards the end of June, the Harrison Center welcomed indie electronic musician Chad Caroland, (AKA Chad Chad Chad and Dirty Blonde) who was tasked to create a song inspired by Indianapolis in 48 hours. After exploring the Monon 16 neighborhood a bit, the abandoned Polk Milk Factory and the new coffeeshop Provider had caught Chad’s attention.

“I like the idea of making or building new stuff from what’s already there-- [Provider’s] still serving milk to people but in a different way. As society and time changes, we’ve become more globalized so there’s less of a need for the production of goods, and more of a need for places where people can come come together,” said Chad.

When talking about the future of the Monon 16 neighborhood, Chad resonated with what the Center’s Executive Director, Joanna Taft, said when explaining the upcoming event, PreEnact Indy, which is about “making sure that people realize there was something here before they got there-- it’s not a blank slate.” PreEnact will span 3 blocks of 16th Street, from the Monon to Andrew J. Brown on October 6th, 2018.  This concept of PreEnact theater creates an opportunity for the community members to interact with and participate in what they want their neighborhood to become.

When asked what he would want his listeners to gain from listening to his song, “Back to Back,” Chad hopes that they’ll have a more solid understanding of the area and that they’ll “realize it’s not too late for this neighborhood, and that this revitalizing project is still in its early stages-- there’s still a lot of room to be a part of what’s happening.”

“Back to Back” Lyrics:

Still serving milk but it’s not creamed

A sign of the times, now it’s steamed

Growing from the planted seeds

Learning to Provide what ya’ need

Weaving something from crossing thread

Old and new back-to-back, Always Ahead

Illustration, “Steamed Milk,” by Harrison Center intern Leo Burton that was inspired by “Back to Back.”

“My illustration is referencing the common phrase, “Don't cry over spilled milk,” which frames Chad’s song well because it’s referencing the way that Provider was able to take something that was broken or not in use, like the abandoned Polk milk factory, and create something good out of it without fully erasing what was originally there” said Leo. The “Time” on the inside of the shattered mug represents the way that community changes to fits its members needs again and again.