The Vines formed in Sydney, Australia in the mid 1990s - the inspiration of Craig Nicholls (lyrics/vocals/guitar), in collaboration with Patrick Matthews (bass/vocals) and David Oliffe (drums). Their attention-grabbing 2001 U.K. single, "Factory" shifted the band's career into top gear, resulting in contracts with Heavenly Records, U.K. and Capitol Records, U.S. by the end of that year.
In early 2002, Hamish Rosser replaced tour-weary Oliffe on drums, and guitarist Ryan Griffiths joined the lineup. Their first album, Highly Evolved was released on the Capitol Records label in July 2002 to wide critical acclaim, earning them recognition in Europe, North America and beyond. The Vines' music ricochets off of the influences of many artistically groundbreaking sounds, though the most frequent comparisons are made to punk, grunge and psychedelia.
The band's second album, Winning Days was released in 2004, building on their unique sound with tinges of blues/folk and avant rock. The period following was a transformative time for the Vines, as Craig took time off to gain control of his personal life and Patrick left the band. Craig continued to compose, and in April 2006, their third album, Vision Valley was released with friend Andy Kent (of You Am I) on bass. The album reflects the band's personal and professional development as a unified, creative force, and takes listeners on an emotionally and artistically driven ride.
The Vines eased back into live performing later that year, first taking the stage with new bassist Brad Heald at the Annandale Hotel July 19, 2006 under the alias Joe Dirt. Their triumph at the 2006 Splendour in the Grass was a sign of things to come, as the Vines went on to play a handful of well-received shows in Australia and England, and proceeded to tear up the stages at Homebake, Big Day Out, Blackjack, Great Escape, Southern Roots, and other Australian festivals and venues throughout early 2007.
