Gina Birch
Founding member of The Raincoats, artist and filmmaker

Art school changed my life.
Punk rock shook my foundations and defined a path to the rest of my life so far.
Challenging ideas, finding my own voice, and being able to value that voice.

As well as being in The Raincoats, I have been lucky enough to work with vibrant creative people in The Gluts, Red Crayola and Big Bottom.  My own personal musical projects are Dorothy and The Hangovers as well as performing solo.

I have shot and directed many music videos, short films and documentaries.
Geoff Travis and Jeanette Lee at Rough Trade have commissioned me to make videos for bands such as The Palma Violets and The Libertines, and a long list of other Rough Trade artists.  I have also made music videos for artists including The Raincoats, New Order, the Pogues and Dee Dee Ramone.

Currently, as well as this great collaboration with Angel Olsen as part of the Rough Trade 40th, I am working with Helen Reddington on a documentary entitled “Stories from the She Punks – music with a different agenda’, which tells the stories of young women who picked up noisey instruments in the late 1970s and began to change the landscape of indie music for women. In the wings is the long awaited Raincoats documentary which I hope to complete within the next 12 months.

I am recording a solo album and have painted large scale paintings which are connected with each song.  I am planning to exhibit the works in London in 2017

Follow Gina on Twitter: @ginamarybirch

RELATED SESSIONS

Saturday 22 October, 17.30 Club Stage
Rough Trade at 40: Nostalgia or a new counterculture?