Less than two years ago, people thought the Vines had imploded for good. But they're back. 

YOU COULDN'T ACCUSE THE Vines' songwriter Craig Nicholls of being humourless. He's clearly ready for the inevitable queries about Asperger's Syndrome in the very few interviews he's doing to promote his band's latest album, Vision Valley. Has Nicholls dealt with his illness in any of the new songs? "No," he deadpans. "Except for 'Asperger Rock"."

Maybe that's one that didn't make it on to the album's final cut. But a healthy sense of humour is a good sign, after the mess of the act's public implosion less than two years ago.

As rock star blowouts go, it was pretty spectacular. Nicholls, who had received as much attention for his erratic behaviour as he most-added Nicholls does not had for his song- writing talent, deal with his illness finally snapped at on the new album. a gig in Sydney's Annandale Hotel. In the notorious June 2004 incident, he kicked

out at a Sun-Herald photographer, smashing her camera. Bassist Patrick Matthews left the stage - and the band in disgust. When assault charges reached court in November that year, it was revealed that Nicholls had been diagnosed with Asperger's, a mild form of autism. He was cleared of the assault charge, but the Vines seemed over. Nicholls would not tour again without endangering his stability, and their meteoric rise and fall seemed to seal the deal: the band were history.

Except no-one told the guy at the centre of it all. Nicholls kept working on songs, with the support of the Vines' drummer, Hamish Rosser, and guitarist, Ryan Griffiths. By early 2005, there were several new songs. Only a year later, they've finished their third album. The Vines camp are touting Vision Valley as their best yet — and well they might, because in the absence of much press or any touring, the marketing has to be all about the songs of the set. But given that second single, "Don't Listen to

the Radio", was the most-added song to radio when it was released last month, it might just work. 

With 13 short, sharp, melodic rock songs, Vision Valley is not far from the band's earlier work. But it does reaffirm Nicholls' status as a songwriter of talent.

"People thought it was over for the Vines," agrees long-term manager Andy Kelly. "Things got pretty bad." He says the Asperger's diagnosis was a relief. "I think it's made things far better than anyone around [Craig] or the band would've hoped. He's

had to change a lot of things about his life that are all tied up with how he's feeling. He hasn't smoked pot in nine months and he doesn't eat junk food anymore."

The Vines began recording demos for the new album in May 2005 with Sydney producer Wayne Connolly. They also recruited You Am I's Andy Kent on bass. Connolly says Nicholls is a perfectionist, with a clear vision of how his music must be recorded: "Everything's laid out in his mind and he knows exactly what the phrasing has to be." This is in stark contrast to his sense of humour. "He's really fun," Connolly adds. "He's obsessed with pranks and comedy. It takes a while to realise that, but stuff he refers to is often an obscure line from a Jim Carrey film or The Chappelle Show... The first half of the session was very much him hiding behind doors and jumping out and scaring people. And he'll be so profuse in his apologies once he's scared someone half to death. But he's going to do it again in another 20 minutes."

The first Aussie band to make the cover of U.S. ROLLING STONE in 20 years (September 2002) are relieved to get the focus back on the songs. "You have to redefine all your ideas about what makes a record successful," says Kelly, "I consider it a success because the songs are so fantastic.... [after] being in a position where they were 18 months ago."