Australian non-musician and author.

Nichols published Distant Violins fanzine in the 80s, which sometimes appeared as a cassette compilation. Distant Violins later become a record label Distant Violins, and Nichols also ran Frock Productions. In 1996 Allen & Unwin published his history of The Go-Betweens. In 2016 Verse Chorus Press published his history of Australian popular music 1960-1985, Dig.