News and Knowledge

We are ASD Band and all of the band members are autistic. Our band consists of four members, Rawan Tuffaha (lead singer), Jackson D. Begley (guitarist/singer), Ron Adea (pianist), and Spenser Murray (drummer). The band came together on Autism Awareness Day in 2019 when Jake’s House, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting families living with autism, launched its “Give a Little Bit” campaign. The band joined Roger Hodgson of the band Supertramp on stage for a performance. Our manager and the band’s founder, Andrew Simon, saw the potential for this band after seeing our performance. Although autism might make some aspects of life difficult for us, we still possess skills and abilities in areas we are passionate about. As musicians on the spectrum, autism may be disabling for us in social settings, but it doesn’t hinder us when it comes to making music.

Sometimes people with autism cannot communicate and read social cues. Each band member has faced these obstacles in our lives. For example, Spenser had some issues when he was young to maintain friendships. Jackson has been prone to overthinking about how to respond in public. Ron wants to be independent, and he and his family are working towards achieving this goal. As for me, I was bullied in school, and I used to be naive and shy about finding people whom I could trust. Thankfully, this band found each other, and we are friends who treat one another with respect and honesty.

Our message to the world is that we are different but not less and we are living proof that autism cannot stop us from pursuing our dreams. To autistic and neurodivergent people, our message to you is to keep pursuing the things that make you happy, whether that is trainspotting, bird photography, graphic design, or even music. It is important to ignore discouraging voices. For instance, my family was told that I [Rawan] would never be able to speak or learn music and that they were wasting their time and money. All of my fellow bandmates have their own stories to tell which are almost similar to my case, and if any of our families believed that we do not have the potential to achieve, then they would have given up on us. Without their encouragement, the band would never have existed.

Although each band member has a different genre of interest in music, we showcase a myriad of styles together and we are very versatile. We write and record original songs, and have been privileged to work with Maury LaFoy, our musical director who also produced our first EP: “Fireflies.” In the album, we have a little bit of rap, rock, classical, pop and jazz. Everyone in this band contributed with their own ideas and talents.

Now, in tandem with our new documentary’s global online premiere, ASD Band is set to release our second album. After many months of tireless songwriting, rehearsals, and recording, we are excited to soon be able to share this new music inspired by our experiences as musicians on the spectrum and other observations of the world around us. To watch the film and listen to our music, visit www.asdband.movie.

The documentary, ASD Band: The Movie, is a true story about the band in our daily lives both inside and outside of rehearsals and gigs. The film showcases our stories, various points of view as people on the spectrum and how we overcame our own issues. Mark Bone, director of the film, enabled us to be ourselves without any interference. The film crew captured us partaking in our favourite hobbies; whether that would be applying makeup, taking a walk, going for a swim, or spending time with our families. It was really fun to be able to share a part of our lives, share our talents and now share the film with the world. Our band’s potential is unlimited, and we give all our thanks to Jake’s House charity for giving us this magnanimous opportunity.

I want to give a message to the families that have kids with autism, that they are not alone in their journey, and they should not feel hopeless. Look to the future, and know they are doing the best they can to support, encourage and stand by their children’s side. Our families did the same for us, and they all have been there. We are here today as a living example that autism doesn’t mean the end of the world. It takes a village to raise a child with autism, and we need support, love, and care from everyone around us. As for adults on the spectrum, I can say that without a doubt, it’s never too late to learn something new and to pursue your passion.

Rawan Tuffaha (left) and Jackson Begley (right) are two of four members making up ASD Band. In addition to their affinity for music, the band members share something else: they all have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Stream ASD Band: The Movie and follow the band on Instagram and TikTok to keep up with their journey.