THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “London’s Gina Birch began her storied career in music in 1977 when she formed the feminist punk band The Raincoats with fellow Hornsey School of Art student Ana da Silva. Gina and Ana witnessed an early performance by The Slits and although neither of them knew how to play any instruments, they knew they had to start a band.
Just months after they picked up their instruments they were on stage doing their thing around London and the U.K. in the fledgling and groundbreaking punk rock scene. The Raincoats quickly developed a large and loyal groups of fans and supporters, among them Red Krayola, Swell Maps and Geoff Travis and his new record label Rough Trade. The Raincoats went on to record three albums for Rough Trade that are frequently found on lists of the most important records of the punk rock era and are still name checked as influences by artists today.
Originally, The Raincoats broke up in 1984 but were talked into reforming in 1994, when Kurt Cobain asked them to go on tour in support of Nirvana (sadly, that never happened). With a renewed interest in the band led by Kurt and Kim Gordon, The Raincoats’ records were reissued with liner notes by Kurt and Kim themselves. Worldwide tours and a new fourth album on DGC resulted in 1996. The Raincoats still perform today for special events and have started their own record label, We Three Records, to handle their back catalog.
Gina is also a respected painter, a celebrated filmmaker and video director (she has made videos for The Libertines and New Order, to name a few) and is a mother of two wonderful daughters. She has formed and fronted the band Dorothy And The Hangovers.
In September 2021, Gina released her firstsolo single Feminist Song, on Third Man Records in celebration of the opening of their brand new London location. Now, Third Man has released Gina’s first solo album, I Play My Bass Loud, recorded by Martin “Youth” Glover from Killing Joke and featuring Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth.”
