Craig Nicholls facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Craig Nicholls
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Nicholls performing in December 2003
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Craig Robert Nicholls |
| Born | 31 August 1977 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
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Craig Robert Nicholls (born 31 August 1977) is an Australian musician. He is best known as the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist for the alternative rock band The Vines. He is the only member who has been with the band since the beginning.
Contents
About Craig Nicholls
Early Years and Music Beginnings
Craig Nicholls was born in Sydney, Australia. His father, Terry Nicholls, was a guitarist and singer in a 1960s band called The Vynes. Craig's father taught him how to play the guitar when he was a child. Craig spent his free time listening to The Beatles, painting, and skateboarding. He once said that he grew up as a "loner" and that music became a "mystical world" for him.
Craig went to Marist College Penshurst but left high school in year 10. He then studied painting at an art school for six months. To support himself and his dream of becoming a musician, he worked at a McDonald's restaurant. There, he met future bandmates, bass guitarist Patrick Matthews and drummer David Olliffe. He also invited his school friend Ryan Griffiths to join as a guitarist.
The band was first named Rishikesh, after a city in India where The Beatles had visited. However, newspapers often misprinted the name. So, Craig decided to change it to The Vines, as a tribute to his father's old band.
The Vines and Their Music
Craig Nicholls started writing songs when The Vines began playing live shows. They performed at backyard parties and on local radio stations. As they became more popular in Sydney, the band caught the attention of Capitol Records.
Craig continued to write songs, including Factory, which was the band's first single. This song was named NME's Single of the Week in November 2001. In 2002, The Vines won the Best Breakthrough Artist – Single award at the ARIA Music Awards of 2002 for their song Get Free, which Craig also wrote. He also won the Breakthrough Songwriter Award at the APRA Music Awards of 2003.
Over time, some band members left. Craig Nicholls returned with new musicians for The Vines' sixth album, Wicked Nature. This album was released independently. Craig also produced the album, working with Tim John on bass and Lachy West on drums.
Craig's Artistic Side
Craig Nicholls is also an artist. Several of his paintings have been used for The Vines' album covers and singles. For example, his artwork appears on the albums Highly Evolved and Winning Days. His work for Highly Evolved was even nominated for Best Cover Art at the 2002 ARIA Awards.
Living with Autism
By 2002, Craig Nicholls was known for his energetic performances. Sometimes, his behavior on stage was unexpected. For example, during a performance on Late Show with David Letterman, he showed a lot of energy. Later, during a rehearsal for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, he caused some damage to the set. These actions were seen as signs of stress.
In May 2004, The Vines played a show for a radio station. During this performance, Craig made some unusual sounds and asked the audience to be quiet in a unique way. Because of this and other challenging behaviors, Patrick Matthews, the bass guitarist, left the stage and the band. The radio station later stopped playing The Vines' music. Some of their tours were also cancelled.
In November 2004, it was revealed that Craig Nicholls has autism spectrum disorder. This condition was confirmed by a specialist. After this, Craig received medical treatment and therapy. He later spoke about his condition in interviews.
In 2014, Craig shared that he had moved back to his family home. He talked about managing his mental health. He said that music has "really been the thing that saved me." He also mentioned that he prefers to live simply, avoiding modern technology like smartphones and computers.
See also
In Spanish: Craig Nicholls para niños
