The Vines Do the "Asperger Rock"



Craig Nicholls rocks his diagnosis on "Vision Valley" Vines singer Craig Nicholls is back after being diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome in November 2004."I was working out how to deal with everything that had happened to me and to the Vines," says Nicholls. "And I'm sure that influenced the songs. I had a lot of stuff in my head."

2004 was a wild year for the band: Nicholls' erratic behavior led to an assault charge, bassist Patrick Matthews departed and everyone had to come to grips with the singer's health condition.

Ultimately, the Vines regrouped as a trio -- Nicholls, drummer Hamish Rosser and guitarist Ryan Griffith -- and spent a year working on Vision Valley, due April 4th, throughout their hometown of Sydney, with producer, Wayne Connolly.

"We used quite a few studios because we kind of split the recording up into sections rather than doing it in one big hit," Nicholls says. "That way it's a lot more creative and enjoyable -- well, for us anyway." One of the string of spots the Vines worked in was Niki Nali, which Nicholls loved "because you can walk outside and look at the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House."

Despite his struggle with Asperger's, Nicholls says his songwriting process "hasn't really changed at all." And, he adds, once back in the studio, "Everyone was really excited to be making another album."

The result is thirteen cuts that splice together the garage-y punk of early Vines on tracks like "Anysound" and "Fuk Hey" with sunny, Beatlesque pop ditties like "Candy Daze." Nicholls even throws in a twangy country ballad, "Take Me Back." And the title track sounds a lot like Oasis' "Wonderwall."

Nicholls wasn't afraid to get personal, as on the track "Asperger Rock," which addresses his diagnosis head-on. And "Don't Listen to the Radio," the last song the band recorded, touches on the personal need the singer had to cut himself off from outside influence. "I was just feeling like I really couldn't be exposed to the stuff that gets forced on to you," he says.

As for the future, the Vines have no plans to tour behind Vision Valley. "We're just going to be in Sydney and write some more songs," says Nicholls, "and hopefully we'll get to make another album."

LAUREN GITLIN

*****

Nicholls wasn't afraid to get personal, as on the track "Asperger Rock," which addresses his diagnosis head-on.

wtf?!!!

wtf are they talkin' about?

wtf indeed. Did a song title get changed or is that a song we don't know about yet?

or it could be a pile of shit?

obviously they mean 'spaceship,' and they also screwed up 'fuk yeh' as 'fuk hey.'

they use references we've seen in other articles - like comparing 'vision valley' to 'wonderwall' - so they must be using label press releases to smack together these articles.

but there are new craig quotes, so that's worth something.

You don't suppose Craig got tired of talking about Asperger's and just made that up to make the journalist look stupid?

^ that would be brilliant!!!

yeah.

Thanks for the article Jen

that would crack me up if that were true.

Judging by previous interviews it's how his sense of humour works, so I wouldn't put it past him. I choose to believe that he did it on purpose.

Corporate publications suck! Fanzines are the way to go!

Thats awesome. Craig sound happy

.. as for this ... Asperger Rock

Haha

I just don't hear Wonderwall in Vision Valley at all

more crazy From the Land piano intros

Haha

HAHAHA

that would be so great . I can see Andy reading this and being like wtf??! Craig what did you do?!!

Hidden track?

A hidden track would be cool. But whatever - the overall tone of the article is really positive, AND new Craig quotes! So, it's all good!!!

Haha. Jesus. That is... beyond hilarious.

Was this the issue with Heath Ledger on the cover?

check it...

RS has redone that vines article, taking out all the references to 'aspergers rock.' i knew it! i bet some ass in the office was playing a practical joke on the writer pretending it was a real song...and the dummy didn't fact-check.

at least it got corrected because...how insulting.


The Vines Rock Again on "Vision"

Craig Nicholls says Asperger's hasn't thrown his music Vines singer Craig Nicholls is back after being diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome in November 2004."I was working out how to deal with everything that had happened to me and to the Vines," says Nicholls. "And I'm sure that influenced the songs. I had a lot of stuff in my head."

2004 was a wild year for the band: Nicholls' erratic behavior led to an assault charge, bassist Patrick Matthews departed and everyone had to come to grips with the singer's health condition.

Ultimately, the Vines regrouped as a trio -- Nicholls, drummer Hamish Rosser and guitarist Ryan Griffith -- and spent a year working on Vision Valley, due April 4th, throughout their hometown of Sydney, with their usual producer, Wayne Connolly.

"We used quite a few studios because we kind of split the recording up into sections rather than doing it in one big hit," Nicholls says. "That way it's a lot more creative and enjoyable -- well, for us anyway." One of the string of spots the Vines worked in was Niki Nali, which Nicholls loved "because you can walk outside and look at the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House."

Despite his struggle with Asperger's, Nicholls says his songwriting process "hasn't really changed at all." And, he adds, once back in the studio, "Everyone was really excited to be making another album."

The result is thirteen cuts that splice together the garage-y punk of early Vines on tracks like "Anysound" and "Fuk Yeh" with sunny, Beatlesque pop ditties like "Candy Daze." Nicholls even throws in a twangy country ballad, "Take Me Back," while the title track sounds a lot like Oasis' "Wonderwall." And "Don't Listen to the Radio," the last song the band recorded, touches on the personal need the singer had to cut himself off from outside influence. "I was just feeling like I really couldn't be exposed to the stuff that gets forced onto you," he says.

As for the future, the Vines have no plans to tour behind Vision Valley. "We're just going to be in Sydney and write some more songs," says Nicholls, "and hopefully we'll get to make another album."


and, jess, this only ran online. the one with heath ledger is a little album blurb you can read here.

thank god

Cause I thought it was truely odd. I couldn't see Craig possibly joking about that in such a way, I bet it was some asshat in the office playing a not so funny practical joke ...that is really mean.

Thank god that wasn't printed or anything . But then again it sounds so ridiculous that I can't see how anyone could print it

if craig really had said that, they would have had the right to leave it whether mgmt was happy about it or not. apparently, he didn't and they couldn't prove he did, so you better believe that got straightened out right away.

wonder if the writer still has a job? how asinine.

I know, seriously. As if Craig would write a song like that...it just sounds beyond ridiculous. And I can't even see him joking about something like that...even though at the time it's all I could think of as to how the hell that got into the article .

I really don't see how the writer could have believed that song actually existed ...I'm just glad it got fixed . Do you think management would have rang them or something?

they were probably on it like flies on stink! it made the band and craig look like a joke! i sent ray the link to add to news, and mentioned the 'aspergers rock' thing saying it was either craig's weird sense of humor or a doofus writer writing something in poor taste - apparently, it was the latter.

Wow! I really never would have thought some insensitive jackass would shove something like that in there as some weird twisted joke . That's just wrong, thank goodness it got caught! Argh! What an ass! I hope the callous little weed responsible for that got fired .

Warped evil people should be able to write reviews, period.

God, the words 'Craig Nicholls' really do bring out the pathetic side of journalists don't they?!

When will journos just GET OVER IT!? Surely it's getting old now?

Well thats what I would do. Aren't they a major magazine in music? Send that man packing!

Oh...I thought it was in the actual mag. I thought I missed out on something!

They'd be screwed if that printed though.

It had already been fixed by the time I saw it, but yeah, that's messed up.

I know I missed something

Ah well