Description
MIND FOR THE BARRICADES ARCADE
A new book of words poems and photographs by GEORGE E HARRIS
Since George E Harris last book And Then It Comes Blowing coming out in 2017,
He continued writing and performing words along with sound in an ensemble George formed with his partner Alison O’Melia which ended up after some name changes performing with the name Rookery Ensemble.
This continued to develop over time but the basis of this current book is grief and the landscapes it creates. Those words came about through the traumatic events of Alison’s sad passing in December 2020 after a year from being diagnosed with a terminal condition.
In the throes of grief George wrote down snippets and thoughts that eventually formed pieces like Islets of Langerhans and Accordion Spirit which he also wrote as possible words for his speech at Alison’s funeral. This continued writing helped the psyche and flourished in the strange energy’s coming about in that time. Initially just written to get it out there into the world around self-evaluations no publication was ever thought of at the time until later.
In time other words came about through grieving time Speed Queen, Four Seals, Pictured Slipped, Giant Butterflies, Slowly & Down plus Memories of the Masts. These words set in the last place lost and found around the rushes in an industrial ping pong. Mind then pen to paper in commuting note pads. In 2021 as part of the grieving process a continued project of recording that was started earlier through sound and music improvisations in 2019 by Alison, George, Erik Moore and Mark Hill was reignited to develop and complete an album of recordings adding more improvisations and eventually words. This eventually came out as double vinyl record. Some of the words on that recording are included in the book.
Later George started to look back at some of his words he had produced before and started to reform them in the pages. Words like Something Happened, The Projectionist, Sunday Crossing and The Operative formed before 2020 and had been performed with Alison so they were included. Also included a long form work about a time in Georges previous time in London in the early 1990s. In the timeline of producing the book Georges father died in 2024. So, some words started to come out around the time of writing a Eulogy speech as in the words In Grid Reference.
The title of the book came about through thoughts around the rising tensions and social political turmoil’s on how we are within and around the times to Mind the Barricades. In the book there are other words around the rise of the fascism as well as street bullying amongst the subjects dealt with.
Through many moments of loops and rounds surrounding the grief landscapes at times in song and sound so close but mystical and far off. Evaluating the observations of those times through personal and worldly moments. It continues in a time of overlapping sequences…
We give you the latest publication by George E Harris – Mind for the Barricades Arcade…
