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.

It's not a disease.

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.

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'.

He's still a tit. :)

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...

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..

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?

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

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!

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

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.

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.

well said

i still think his music's crap though

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!

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.

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.

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

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!!!!!

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.

this thread makes me sad
: (

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.

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

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

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

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!!!!!!!

well no, to be honest, his music is dire, he's a complete tosser and now using something i have as a excuse for all this

since when was he using it as an excuse

when his defence used it to get him off the court charges

He plays on the fact he has Aspergers? I think you'll find he's only just been diagnosed with it...

How anyone can now sit there and make the 'he's a cock', 'he plays on it', 'insert other daft comment here' is beyond me? Some people really are ignorant...

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

Good songwriter. Unfortunately has Aspergers. Deserves some slack.

Fin.

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!

dave_rio said "What I find most interesting about autism is that, to some extent, everyone suffers from it"

So everyone is a bit autistic really? No, sorry, I don't buy it. Spending time alone, or collecting stuff does not make you 'a bit autistic'. And if everyone really were 'a bit autistic' then autistic people would be treated with respect and understanding. But generally they're not.

dave_rio said "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."

Fine, enjoy the book for what it is: a work of fiction. But if you want to know more about Asperger's why not try reading a book by someone who actually HAS Asperger's?

benmarwood said "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."

I have Asperger's. I'm sorry that people like me create such an unpleasant spectacle for people like you. (Oh look! Sarcasm!) How would you know what it's like to experience?

Bloody_Youth said "I have Aspergers for what i experianced at a younger i was very anti social and rude ... Now I'm out-going social and very friendly"

I don't understand. Are you saying you had Asperger's when you were a youngster, but not any more?! Is this a self-diagnosis?

i have asperger syndrome and its no laughing matter. it doest make people particually unintelligent and has no real affect on your life. the only problems i have are a terrible short term memory. and i dont like a change to my routine i always liek to do the same thing. but i havent really got it that bad i dont think i have only just (june) been diagnosed with it but i was told it can develop into alzehimers when i'm older. so you cant hold anything against craig in my opinion apart from being in a shitty band

as a girl wiht AS I have to say many of you are being insensitive. What struck me was the connection with music and AS I'm also a cutter, and cut atleast once a day depending on how stressed I am. Some of the bands that I'm into are Screaming Trees, Tad, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Elliott Smith, Alice in chains, Jimmy Hendrix, Led Zep, AC/DC etc. for those of you who are talking out of your asses just do us a favor and shut the fuck up. k.

y cant u guys just accept it???!its not a big deal that he called a photographer a cunt!or he was sayin shyt bout sum magazine,all u guys need 2 do is respect his damn talent!!!!!!n if he was "retarded"how the hell could he play the guitar sooo damn good!and how could he make all those songs!??!can one of u basterds tell me that!!?NO,coz i'm rite n so is everyone else who is supportin him,so u all need 2 do is keep ur lil damn thoughts 2 ur damn selfs!

Why all the dislike of Craig Nicholls?

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

i liked the vines and hope the guy gets better. went to see them a couple of years ago and they were terrible. it was clear he and the bassist hated each other..he didnt sing a word he either randomly screamed or let patrick sing. good way to treat fans. im not ignorant, its just my opinion.

It's sickens me reading this and finding many idiots open their mouths about something that they know nothing about.

He's 'retarded'? Anyone who thinks aspergers means retarded obviously doesn't know anything about psycology.

These haters also probably feel like shit about themselves, so they bash on people who aren't the norm, like Craig Nicholls in this case. Because it's so easy to do, right? If you do the right amount of research you'll find that people with this diagonosis are very brilliant. Much more brilliant than you. And that's why you say they're not gifted, b/c you are not gifted, so no one else is allowed to be?

And one more thing, just because Craig Nicholls has aspergers may explain some things, but it does not explain him as a whole.