12 Major Questions Deluxe with Craig Nicholls 12.Sep.06
12MC: How did it feel to be able play back at the Annandale Hotel with The Vines again?
Craig: I thought it was great, I really enjoyed it. I think Thursday’s (show) was a little bit better. We’re gaining more confidence so we feel as the shows keep getting better and better.
12MC: What’s it like being in The Vines now in 2006, compared to two or three years ago?
Craig: It’s a lot more exciting now because we have time off. I mean it was exciting in 2003 – we did an album. 2004 wasn’t our best year because the touring was getting to me and I was a bit unwell, so I didn’t really feel that so well.
12MC: Was it time for a rest?
Craig: Yeah. We did the album (Highly Evolved) in 2001 and in the beginning of 2002, we were busy all that year and in 2003. And we went straight from playing shows to going to the studio. So by the time we got to that point we were like “yeah, time to take a break.”
12MC: Was there ever a point where you thought it might be the end for The Vines? Or was there something inside of you saying that the Vines will live long?
Craig: I thought we were going keep going, it just was a matter of time before we started again. We didn’t know when that would be.
12MC: So was it hard to convince others that the band was still alive and kicking? Or was it something people didn’t even ask?
Craig: Yeah, a lot of people didn’t ask because we were out of the public eye so I think people didn’t really care. ‘Cos we put out two albums but since we stopped doing anything I guess that’s when we don’t get much attention - which is only natural. But I always knew that we were going to do something.
12MC: How was it then to record Vision Valley with virtually no expectations? Did being out of the public eye allow you to go in and record the album under the radar?
Craig: Yeah it was cool because there wasn’t that pressure and we just felt like we could do what we wanted. We did it in Australia for the first time with Wayne Connolly and he was great to work with.
12MC: So it was a lot more of a laidback approach?
Craig: Yeah, because we were in New York when we did Winning Days and in LA for the first one. So, it was cool to be able to do that. And we got to go home at night.
12MC: And to your own bed – so that’s got to count for something.
Craig: Yeah, so it felt a little more relaxed.
12MC: Was Vision Valley like a dark diary for the last two years of your life?
Craig: Yeah, it was while I was in a pretty dark space when I wrote it. Some of it’s happy, but a lot of it’s kind of aggressive as well.
12MC: Are you enjoying playing the new material to an audience after having played the same songs from the first two records during your previous shows?
Craig: Yeah. Obviously we’ve played a lot of songs from the first and second album, but we still enjoy doing them. But most of the show is based around the new album, which is the way it is with most bands. But I’m not sick of playing the earlier ones because we had some time off, so it’s like they’re new again.
12MC: How did it feel to be able play back at the Annandale Hotel with The Vines again?
Craig: I thought it was great, I really enjoyed it. I think Thursday’s (show) was a little bit better. We’re gaining more confidence so we feel as the shows keep getting better and better.
12MC: What’s it like being in The Vines now in 2006, compared to two or three years ago?
Craig: It’s a lot more exciting now because we have time off. I mean it was exciting in 2003 – we did an album. 2004 wasn’t our best year because the touring was getting to me and I was a bit unwell, so I didn’t really feel that so well.
12MC: Was it time for a rest?
Craig: Yeah. We did the album (Highly Evolved) in 2001 and in the beginning of 2002, we were busy all that year and in 2003. And we went straight from playing shows to going to the studio. So by the time we got to that point we were like “yeah, time to take a break.”
12MC: Was there ever a point where you thought it might be the end for The Vines? Or was there something inside of you saying that the Vines will live long?
Craig: I thought we were going keep going, it just was a matter of time before we started again. We didn’t know when that would be.
12MC: So was it hard to convince others that the band was still alive and kicking? Or was it something people didn’t even ask?
Craig: Yeah, a lot of people didn’t ask because we were out of the public eye so I think people didn’t really care. ‘Cos we put out two albums but since we stopped doing anything I guess that’s when we don’t get much attention - which is only natural. But I always knew that we were going to do something.
12MC: How was it then to record Vision Valley with virtually no expectations? Did being out of the public eye allow you to go in and record the album under the radar?
Craig: Yeah it was cool because there wasn’t that pressure and we just felt like we could do what we wanted. We did it in Australia for the first time with Wayne Connolly and he was great to work with.
12MC: So it was a lot more of a laidback approach?
Craig: Yeah, because we were in New York when we did Winning Days and in LA for the first one. So, it was cool to be able to do that. And we got to go home at night.
12MC: And to your own bed – so that’s got to count for something.
Craig: Yeah, so it felt a little more relaxed.
12MC: Was Vision Valley like a dark diary for the last two years of your life?
Craig: Yeah, it was while I was in a pretty dark space when I wrote it. Some of it’s happy, but a lot of it’s kind of aggressive as well.
12MC: Are you enjoying playing the new material to an audience after having played the same songs from the first two records during your previous shows?
Craig: Yeah. Obviously we’ve played a lot of songs from the first and second album, but we still enjoy doing them. But most of the show is based around the new album, which is the way it is with most bands. But I’m not sick of playing the earlier ones because we had some time off, so it’s like they’re new again.
