Nirvana and The Raincoats: the story of the greatest tour that never was
Nirvana opened many doors for countless bands. Building on the earlier sounds of punk and underground music, they crafted a raw, authentic style rooted in disillusioned resignation, where artistic expression centred around melancholic despair. However, led by the ultimate outsider, Kurt Cobain, they also created a space for others, offering a platform where none had existed before.
From day one, Cobain knew there had to be something beyond the shackles of everyday mundanity. He never truly understood what it meant to belong and often drifted between different situations and friendship groups before discovering the power of music. To him, it was the perfect outlet for expression, giving him a way to release all the rage he had ever felt.
Those in his path often became drawn to this demeanour and shared the same views. Well, mostly. Kathleen Hanna, for instance, became immediately endeared to his off-kilter disposition, feeling a connection to another soul who longed to break free from the disappointment of the world around them. This mostly stemmed from the prejudices and injustices in society, and music was a way for them to spotlight their disdain.
The Raincoats also came into the firing line. Formed by Gina Birch and Ana da Silva in the late 1970s, both had little musical experience but a strong drive to follow in the footsteps of bands like The Slits. Their embrace of the DIY ethos and desire to create a raw, honest sound also led them into feminist punk spaces, capturing the attention of artists like Beth Ditto and, of course, Cobain. After all, with their attitude, it was only a matter of time before they attracted the Nirvana frontman himself.
During the ’90s, Cobain’s attention was a partial aspect of their reunion after years of the pair focusing elsewhere. At the time, Da Silva worked in an antique shop and composed dance soundtracks while Birch studied film. Music became a secondary avenue and was almost forgotten entirely as a viable path until one day, Cobain visited and asked for a copy of their debut record. This admiration eventually led to another offer a little later when he floated the idea of The Raincoats joining Nirvana on the road.
His passion for their music helped them reignite their own flames, encouraging them to start performing and writing again with a renewed excitement about joining the unparalleled grunge outfit on tour, knowing that this opportunity would change everything. After all, the two were naturally aligned, with The Raincoats embodying the same authentic flair that made Nirvana so endearing in the first place.
However, with Cobain’s passing in 1994, this prophecy dissolved, leaving nothing but question marks over the space that was the concert that never came to be. Still, his influence wasn’t for nothing, and The Raincoats stormed on, fuelled by his spirit and their newfound charge. In fact, it was his enthusiasm that inspired them to keep going, leading to the recording of their fourth album, Looking in the Shadows, in 1996.
According to Birch, Cobain instilled something in them that made them realise it was no longer worth holding back and that this was their true calling above all else. As she told The Guardian in 2009: “I didn’t feel nervous. I felt I’d found my own feet.”
