" http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/refreshed...3816320297.html
Nothing new really, but still fantastic to hear/read. I've never been sure of Bernard Zuel's stance on The Vines, but he seems to be quite supportive in this article.
Refreshed Vine Back in the Limelight
Bernard Zuel
July 28, 2006
Craig Nicholls is back in the building. It's not quite in the same league as Beach Boy Brian Wilson returning to the stage after three decades of mental instability, but the news that Nicholls, the frontman of the Vines, is playing live again marks a significant stage in contemporary Australian music.
Four years ago the Vines were the hottest rock band in the world, lauded in the US as the face of the "new rock" movement, selling more than a million of their debut album, Highly Evolved, and filling large venues internationally only months after playing in tiny Sydney pubs.
Nicholls, the singer and songwriter, was seen as an entertainingly eccentric figure whose odd behaviour was ascribed to copious ingestion of marijuana and a manic pop personality.
That was until, at the same time a second album, Winning Days, was failing to match expectations in 2004, the behaviour went from odd to violent, from abusing docile fans in Japan to kicking out at a photographer's camera in Sydney.
It was only then, as the band took a lengthy break from public view, that Nicholls was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a milder form of autism. His difficulty with crowds, with being interviewed and even with being touched, finally had a reason. "It made a lot of sense to me ... It was kind of a relief. It was more like an explanation," Nicholls said in one of the only interviews he gave earlier this year when the band released a third album, Vision Valley.
The quality of Vision Valley encouraged hopes that the Vines might play again. But their manager, Andy Kelly, played down those expectations, telling The Guardian: "If they were to tour again, I worry that it's just gonna go back to how it was. More and more pressure, changes every day, expectations."
This changed a week ago when the Vines played a secret gig under an assumed name in a small back bar of the Annandale Hotel, the same hotel at which two years ago Nicholls attacked a photographer.
That show was followed by an unannounced performance at the Splendour in the Grass festival in Byron Bay on Sunday.
Now it has been announced the Vines will play two shows, one in Melbourne and the other at the Annandale Hotel on September 8. Nicholls was not available for an interview but Mr Kelly said the Vines "certainly hope" to be touring beyond these dates.
"They absolutely loved Splendour and are really excited to be playing again," he said. "We just want to keep it to really short runs to begin with, so there will be plenty of time between shows." "
posted by dr robert
for discussion on this go here
"I saw Craig's face on the front of the MX paper (Melbourne free newspaper you get on the train)
Page 3 had a small article on The Vines playing live shows again and listed the date for The Corner Hotel show.
Unfortunately I left the paper on the train so I can't scan it for you.
Anyway, it seems that Melbourne is getting excited for the return of The Vines.
Jamie
EDIT: My mum did bring the paper home so here you go, just some crappy quality scans I made."
posted by jimib
for discussion on this and to see the uploaded scans of the article go here
"http://www.nme.com/news/vines/23697 just thought you might all be interested!!! says that he was speaking to nme, which suggests that there maybe another article coming up soon cause i doubt they woulda just got that one comment out of him n then hung up...
The Vines make festival comeback
'It's great to be back' declares Craig Nichols
The Vines have made their first festival appearance in almost 18 months on Saturday (July 22).
The band played at Byron Bay's Splendour The Grass festival, the first time they've played such an event after frontman Craig Nichols had to quit touring due to being diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.
The band had made their live return last week (July 17) playing as Joe Dirt at Sydney's Annandale Hotel, but the festival slot marked their first time the group have played recently under their own name.
Speaking to NME.COM, Nichols explained he was glad to finally play live - and trash his instrument at the end of the set - again.
"It felt great to be back on stage," he declared after his band's set. "The hardest thing about the last two years has been not playing live. We can't wait to play UK again. I guess I need to get a new guitar now. Things are about to get real complicated."
The Vines played:
'Dope Train'
'Highly Evolved'
'Animal Machine'
'Don't Listen To The Radio'
'Gross Out'
'Vision Valley'
'Outtathaway'
'Nothin's Comin'
'Ride'
'Fuk Yeh'
'1969'
'Ms Jackson'
'Get Free'
'Fuck The World'
The show also marked the first full appearance of new bassist Brad Heald, although Nichols enjoyed a friendly reunion with his original bandmate Patrick Matthews backstage, who was playing the festival with his new band Youth Group.
With the show going well, it's now expected that The Vines will announce more shows, with UK dates strongly rumoured."
posted by forriepanther
for discussion on this go here