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Episode 120: Gina Birch, The Raincoats

42 min • 5 februari 2023

Forged within the punk youthquake in 1977, The Raincoats are one of my favourite bands. I’m not alone in my love of them. Kurt Cobain of Nirvana was famously a fan. Sonic Youth too. Simpsons creator Matt Groening. Jeff Magnum of Neutral Milk Hotel. But here’s John Lydon to articulate the brilliance of the band perfectly. "The Raincoats,” says John, “offered a completely different way of doing things, as did X-Ray Spex, and all the books about punk have failed to realise that these women were involved for no other reason than that they were good and original".

Yeah, that’ll do.

Now, on February 24th, bass player Gina Birch releases her first solo album, I Play My Bass Loud, on Jack White’s Third Man Records. She disputes that first point to a degree, but it’s certainly her debut release under just her name. I’ll let her explain. What took her so long? Join me for the answer to this, and many other questions…