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The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

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by Mike Diver
Artists: The Vines
One-time indie rock cover star and all-round crazy celeb Craig Nicholls has been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, a brain disorder that causes the sufferer to exhibit autistic-like behaviour and struggle with communication and social skills.

What that means, basically, is Craig's erratic behaviour is medically explainable - he's not just the attention-seeking twit some of us (i.e. me) had him pegged for.

The singer's condition was revealed at a court case in Sydney where he was facing charges of assault and malicious damage. The charges were dismissed, but not before his condition was made public.

Asperger Syndrome has only recently been recognised by professionals. Sufferers are known to have difficulty adapting to changes in their environment, and may be more sensative than your average person when it comes to senses.


The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

we can't just let him off cos he has this though, there's still no doubt that he's a cock.

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

WTF!IT AINT NO DIESEASE!AND HE AINT NO DAMN RETARD!AND YEA HE HAS 2 B LET OFF HE HAS A BRAIN DISORDER...A BRAIN DISORDER!or a autisum or sumthin like that i mean goddamit wtf hes no cock or retard or w/e!

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Why all the dislike of Craig Nicholls?

Hes a hugely talented song writer and his band are cool.


The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger

but he has a DISEASE...so this means everybody can't hate him. it's not allowed. it's not politically correct.

ah, he's a retard. that's a shame.

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger

Aspergers is NOT a disease and is the opposite of being retarded. Famous people who have (post-humously) been diagnosed with it include Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton. Rather than meaning the person with it is unintelligent, it means -more often than not- they are hyperintelligent and excel in whatever field they choose to specialise in (obviously this doesn't apply to Mr Nicholls)...

Just because you don't like him or the Vines, doesn't mean you have the right to be insulting, bigotted and prejudiced. Ignorant abled cunts like you really piss me off and you're as fuuckin' ubiqetous as the shit you have for brains.


Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asper

it's ludicrous to say more often than not, they are hyperintelligent - it's what used to be called higher functioning autism which means IQ of >80% age-expected. That just perpetuates the myth that many austistic people are gifted, which is simply not true.
They have problems with emotional intelligence and are usually have difficulties empathising with others. The may have specific obsessions, hence the impression they are 'gifted'.

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asper

yeah, that's true, my phrasing was a little haphazard. Apologies. Not all or most of Aspergers folks are 'gifted' persay, but there are cases where it is so.

Aspergers is very different to being conventionally retarded and I just hate the oft-held notion that being disabled is a bad thing or that it's something to make fun of or look down upon.

Did you see last years BBC Two documentary 'My Family and Autism'? That gave a fascinating account into the ins ands outs of the condition in practice.

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asper

no probs...so many patients with aspergers integrate fully into
'conventional' society and cope with difficulties. I personally think that the differences between us, 'deviance' from the norm is what makes life interesting. I still think this guy is a bit of an idiot and culpable for his behaviour but it's in context.

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asper

yey life is like the 'rain man' after all!

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asper

alright, kids.
coming from a gifted student, shoved in a school for others "like me," autistic kids are labeled (correctly, i might add) as gifted much more often than you might think. autistic people are far from retarded, they, in fact, have historically had some of the highest IQ's.
coming from a rock afficionado, craig is just crazy. his songwriting talents make any inexcusable antic on stage null and void.
what does the article say, guys?
craig was compared to Kurt. i bet many regret doubting Kurt's musical genius now. Kurt did some crazy shit on stage, but it didnt make him any less prodigial when regarding his impact on rock'n'roll. craig has broken some laws, but damn, hes a rock star. wouldnt you?
craig deserves our utter respect at the very least.
and then there is also the less intelligent statement of the fact that making fun of craig is mean. and hes very pretty.
thanks....

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger

Well I personally don't mind his bands music that much, but he is a total cock! Worst live band i've ever seen, he made me cringe with embarrassment.

Albert Einstein seems to have had virtually every retard disease going. It's just a patronising way of making div's feel better about themselves.

Message to Wishpig

Don't open your mouth about something you don't know you fucking cunt. I hope you choke on a dick.


The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger

I hate the Vines, have always hated the Vines, will always hate the Vines. Only decent part of the video was when he got struck by lightning...hope springs eternal.

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

i know someone with Aspergers, its really unpleasant - someone having no concept of emotions is a fucking horrible thing to watch let alone to experience. having Asberger's doesnt automatically make you smash up stages like a total twat though..

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger


I have aspergers. It is not a disorder but a difference. But as with most types of people there is a large variety of functionality and talents.

I am a member of Aspies For Freedom. We are a civil rights group for autistics.Autistics are sometimes murdered over their difference. An many lose their job or find it hard to find a job because of their difference.

If Mr. Nicholls is reading, You are not alone.

http://www.aspiesforfreedom.org
http://theasman.blogspot.com

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger

This explains a great deal... I hope people give him support now. For him and his peace of mind, and for us because another album as good as Highly Evolved would be most welcome...

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

No shit sherlock, maybe he should have told everyone he had it to avoid all the negative press he's recieved... he really did it for me in the last kerrang article he did, calling the magazine shit and calling the photographer a cunt, rude yes but still funny..

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Well for a start he didn't know that was wrong with him and secondly even if he had known why should he make a point of telling people about his personal business, look at how many ignorant people have already called him a 'retard' since reading about it.
I love the fact that people slag him off for a being a bit of a cock when ok, it doesn't totally excuse it but he has a genuine social problem and it may not be apparent but he's probably quite cut up about it...and everyone still thinks Pete Doherty is a god just because the NME love him when he is far more of a twat and has more control over his situation. So he has an addiction yes boo hoo but there are ways to sort that out unlike Asperger Syndrome and all Mr Doherty can do it half heartedly start sorting himself out and then give up and continue to screw up things for people around him or not show up to gigs cos he, Mr Rockstar, doesn't feel like it. Ok so the Libertines r marginally better than the Vines but in the grand scheme of things that is irrelevant, they're both still just people. Rant over!

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

He didnt know he had it did he you tit. He's a fucking brilliant frontman and they make brilliant music. Decent live, their records are brilliant. The vines and Mr.Nicholls are brilliant, and i wish him the best.

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

This is very sad news really, anyone saying he's 'still a cock' is being insensitive and stupid. He has some sort of medical condition, and should be recognised as such. At least he hasn't got anything like dementia or anything, he can still make decent music if he can be bothered. Hearing Get Free in the college canteen today reminded me it's still a great song too.

Can someone explain the difference between Aspergers and conventional autism please as well?

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger

'calling the magazine shit and calling the photographer a cunt,'

this is what he does - is this really what Aspergers does to you?

It doesn't seem so from what I've read, hence my initial statement still stands - he's still a cock

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

So what? Maybe he was just angry or pissed off at the time or whatever, he might have been drunk.

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

whatever his condition, i still thoink the guys a cunt. Even if hew had AIDS, i still wouldn't give a monkeys

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

you're fucking sick. whatever you think of him - and i'm not a fan - claiming that you'd be completely indifferent to a terminal illness is just so fucked-up.

i hope you read this back one day and realise how stupid what you wrote really is.

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

You're the cunt, nobody deserves AIDS you ignorant prick.

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Do correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't this news about 2 months ago?

Maybe I'm just confused because it's blatantly obvious to anyone who's had any contact with AS. I'm shocked it took this long to officially diagnose.

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Hello

I felt that seeing as I'm also diagnosed with AS, and that i always read these message boards, i felt that it was about right to throw my two cents worth with my first posting around these parts...I'll try not to ramble..

From an early age of around 2 or 3, my parents noticed that I was rather shall we say a little bit on the out of control side of things..I didn't even start talking until I was 4 years old..they started to suspect then that i might've had autism - it wasn't until I was 15 that i was diagnosed though..some symptoms include lack of social skills, with poor eye contact being a notable thing, excelling in whatever field they're in amidst being completely obsessive at that! They also have wild mood swings some are manic depressives and these feelings can fluctuate VERY quickly. It's also known that they can also take a lot to heart over whatever's being said to, or about them. That, and many, many other signs.






Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Is one of the symptoms being really boring?

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger

People still having a go at Craig now are being highly insensitive. To say 'he's still a dick in spite of this' is like telling someone with depression to 'snap out of it'... i.e. it conveys a complete lack of understanding, or the wish to try to understand.

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger

Well said, good comparisson. They're both the kind of thing where you wish you had control over how ur but u just don't. I used to suffer from severe depression and people telling me to 'cheer up' was actually quite hurtful. You try so desperately to act happy but when it's not how u feel u can't, it's really difficult.
His behaviour seems quite impulsive and I'm sure he's hardly proud of the way he is but he doesn't necessarily have much control over it.
Yeah I agree with you that those who are still slagging him off are probably basing it on the fact they don't like his music and therefore can't be bothered to try and understand him which is pathetic.

Doing social psychology has caused me to comment far too much on this post!

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

All those who are saying that he's a cock anyway - so in your infinite knowledge you can tell that even if he didn't have Asperger's he would still behave the way he does? I once met a guy with Asperger's (he was in my school for a week) and yes, he was violent and aggressive and abusive. So I would suggest that most of his behaviour is probably down to the syndrome.

Whoever asked why he hasn't told people - possibly because he's JUST BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH IT?! Fuckwit.

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

well said

i still think his music's crap though

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Oh yeah, totally. I don't like the Vines at all apart from Homesick which was kinda sweet.

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

it *doesnt* say he's only just been diagnosed with it, it says it was only made public recently. if the defence knew about Craig's condition, then Craig himself must have known and if it takes a court case to bring this out then chances are he didnt want people to know.

i don't think that's a stupid question.

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Some of the comments here go a long way towards illustrating exactly why behavioural difficulties and, perhaps, "disability" in more general terms are so horribly misunderstood in this country. We're inexcusably ill-educated about this sort of thing - people try to pretend there are no taboos left these days but, for some unfathomable reason, this is definitely one.

I can only agree with Jared's words above.

And "Highly Evolved" rocks!

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

I think that everyone who has said he is 'still a cock', etc should be a little less ignorant and inconsiderate. Conditions like this affect people in different ways. My cousin has it and he's not aggresive, he is very very caring and can sometimes even be too nice and in-your-face. But he has a friend who has got the exact same thing and is often violent, the opposite of my cousin. I think peeps should stop slagging him off as he probably has enough to deal with right now and I think some of you are being way too nasty about it. OK, you might not like his music, but why should that mean you can insult him as a person. Personally I think his music is quite good, but that's just my opinion and I'd feel the same way about peeps slagging him off even if I did think he played crap music.

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Well done Truffles, a good post, apart from the non-ironic use of the word "peeps", which should not be used in any circumstances apart from in quotation.

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

I can't be bothered to go to school because I am shit at GCSE's and yesterday I called my teacher a cunt - I have dyslexia!!!!!
I hate everyone and every hates me because of this I constantly act like a complete tosser - I have Asberger Syndrome!!!!!
I sit around wearing Burberry tracksuits and love being on the dole -I have 'can'tbebotheredtodoanything, wasteofhumanity' itis!!!!!

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

wtf? you really that stupid or are you taking the piss? fucktard

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Were all talking about disabilties and you call someone a fucktard? Your just cold.

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

nah. i'm as jolly as the spirit of christmas

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Ahhhh. Thats nice to hear one of the ratarded still has a sense of humour. you keep it up little buddy.

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

the vines RoCk hard and Craig is brilliant

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

why is he a cock how many of you have met him. is he anymore of a cock than most people in bands? hmm, thought not.

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger

this thread makes me sad
: (

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Lalala, for anyone who might care about my $0.02.

It's all well and good and saying it isn't 'a bad thing' and it's a 'difference' rather than a problem, but - well, put it think way, i have a fair few 'differences' of my own and believe me they are fucking problems. It's like when you get deaf parents who refuse to get cochlear implants for their kids because they think there's nothing wrong with being deaf. It's fucking evil.

If it hinders your life, it's a bad thing, and yes it's a fucking problem.

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Sorry to hear you're having problems, but I really must take issue with your asertion about deaf people:

"It's like when you get deaf parents who refuse to get cochlear implants for their kids because they think there's nothing wrong with being deaf. It's fucking evil."

No, it's not 'fucking evil'. In times past there were no cochlear implants and that child would've been deaf anyway and would've had no choice but to live with it.

Are you deaf personally? If you are deaf and you personally wish you weren't, then fair play, but you must understand that not everyone with the condition may have had the same negative experiences as you, and if they have then they may have approached/viewed them differently.

If you are not deaf, then you must understand that deaf parents making such a choice for their child are making an informed decision based upon their own experience and the reasoning behind that decision is something that non-deaf people will never be in a position to understand.

IMHO having a disability can make a person superior to abled people because it lends a strength of character that 'normal' people often don't posess (whatver 'normal' is).

As a person with Cerebral Palsy, if I was ever given 3 wishes by a genie, wishing I was born able-bodied would not be one of them. Yes being disabled isn't by any means easy, but then life in general isn't. That's the whole point.

Most of the problems disabled people have arise not from the logistics of their particular condition, but from the ignorance and callousness of the able-bodied masses. This is called the Social Model of Disability and the sooner the world's governments acknowledge this and make disability education/awareness etc one of their top priorities the easier being disabled will become.

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

I also have Cerebral Palsy, and as someone who routinely gets thoroughly annoyed with it, I can say it's a right arse. Having said that, I wouldn't swap the life I have at all. It's not a case of being inferior, or even really all that different, it's just about dealing with what you have and getting on with it.

Why people feel the need to criticise or ridicule someone on the basis of disability has always been beyond me. It's like me turning round and saying that you're a prat because you can walk/see/hear/shit at the right time. It's just because society in general is scared of people that don't conform to norms, and show it by resorting to taking the piss.

As one of very few (I think) disabled people who're active in bands in this country, I can say that people make assumptions about me and my band (www.freeslave.org.uk) based on seeing me in a wheelchair. This happens so often it's turned into a joke. If we're crap, then base it on songs/performance. Likewise, if the Vines are a bit boring and derivative, then it's because of the songs/performance/way they were marketed (most likely) and has very little to do with Craig Nicholls's "condition".

It's you able-bodied sods I feel sorry for. You have to pay to get into football matches.

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

I think this may well be an incorrect diagnosis (something extremely common).

Why?

Asperger's sufferers go out of their way to avoid violence and conflict. I seem to remember Nicholls smashing a journalist's dictaphone. An Asperger's person is unlikely to do this.

Nicholls' facial expressions are far more complex than those of most Asperger's sufferers, who only have the basic emotions and often use them inappropriately.

Nicholls has described a Vines song as "sarcastic". Asperger's sufferers don't usually understand sarcasm. They also find it hard to lie and understand metaphors/analogies (they take them literally).

From what I know about Nicholls, it sounds more likely that he has ADD (attention defecit disorder), though I by no means know enough to be certain.

What I find most interesting about autism is that, to some extent, everyone suffers from it- we all have traits associated with autism-usually an obsessiveness about something (trainspotting, for example), strange rules (people who won't eat their food if, say, their chips are touching their carrots) or strange habits (I always run my hands down a radiator if I walk past one).

Anyone wanting to know more about Asperger's should read the very excellent "Curious Incident of the Dog In The night time" by Mark Haddon.

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

I sorta argee and disargee with that. I have Aspergers for what i experianced at a younger i was very anti social and rude, when i was 3 when someone came into the house i loose to run up the stairs and hise in my room, i wouldn't speak to anyone. Now I'm out-going social and very friendly, such very quiet and some times.

to me Asperger's is like being trapped inside yourself, you got so much going on in your mind but can't get it out hardly

". Asperger's sufferers don't usually understand sarcasm. They also find it hard to lie and understand metaphors/analogies (they take them literally). "

well thats not true, not for me anyway
strange rules (people who won't eat their food if, say, their chips are touching their carrots)

i don't have any. Plus if i have you can eat as many as you like :)

an obsessiveness about something (trainspotting, for example

well yes, but with me it's soemthing useful, music

strange habits
yeah i usually fiddle something, when i worried about something

Asperger's sufferers go out of their way to avoid violence and conflict

god yes. which is a plus and disavantage for me, i find it hard to stand up for myself

who only have the basic emotions and often use them inappropriately
i sometimes do, but it's hella funny

i wouldn't try to stereotype something like this. when i read this on the nme i was so pissed off what they said about it. it's very hard to pin down i wouldn't try






The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

He was in court for assault, I see. That backs up my first point.

This letter to my godawful local rag is quite interesting:

http://www.expressandstar.com/articles/features/opinion/printer_66877.php

The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

THE VINES RULE!!!! OK
Craig is not has not and never will be a cock. If he wasn't the way he was, he wudn't rule as much as he does. He is an overall GOD, musically and other stuff. The Vines r absolutely awesome, so don't be nasty. Craig has asbergers, so wot, he is still great and always will be fucking great. The world would not b the same without him, Patrick, Hamish or Ryan, The world wud not be the same without The Vines. And don't u go saying, no it wudn't b the same, it wud b betta, i no wot ure thinking!!!!!!!

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Ok let's not go over the top here. The Vines are world-conquering.

Good songwriter. Unfortunately has Aspergers. Deserves some slack.

Fin.

Re: The Vines' Craig Nicholls diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Ok Ok, there was some slight over the toplyness going on there, but some people are just being nasty. The Vines rule and Craig has Aspergers.....wow, big deal.
They are still awesome.
Although everyone has different tastes and stuff, but other people should respect that, you may not like The Vines and think Craig is the ultimate cock, but you could still respect them and him.
Now you know there is some sense in what I just wrote!