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I Used to Be Famous is an uplifting and endearing Netflix outing
16th October 2022
The tale of a former boy band member who finds unexpected friendship with an autistic drummer might seem too low-key to make an impact on the streaming service.
You should make the effort to seek out I Used to Be Famous though as it's an uplifting and endearing watch. It's a movie that signposts its ultimate destination, yet it's done with such heart that you'll cry happy tears by the end all the same.
Adapting from his own short film of the same name (with the movie co-written by Zak Klein), Sternberg based the character of Stevie on his cousin, who is autistic and a drummer.
That personal connection is evident in how the filmmaker chose to cast a neurodivergent actor as Stevie, as well as having several neurodivergent actors in the movie's stand-out drum circle scenes.
Netflix Film 'I Used To Be Famous'
8th September 2022
The character, Stevie, is inspired by Eddie Sternberg’s cousin Saul Zur-Szpiro, a drummer who is autistic and has high support needs that require full-time care. Zur-Szpiro first picked up drumsticks at 10 – “at the time he didn’t have the strength to hold them”. Now he plays with rock band the AutistiX, which has a mix of autistic and non-autistic members
Variety Magazine - 'I Used To Be Famous'
15th August 2022
Sternberg then set out to create a character who would stand in opposition to Vince’s “twisted existence with regards to music.” The person who came to mind was Sternberg’s cousin, Saul Zur-Szpiro, an autistic man who has very high support needs. When he was young, he was agoraphobic, he didn’t like going out, and didn’t like crowds. But he had a loving, warm family, who were quite musical. His sister played the drums, and when he was given the drumsticks it was clear he had a good sense of rhythm. With the support of tutors he took up the drums, and formed a band called The AutistiX, where the majority of the members are autistic. They started to build a bit of a following, and ended up touring, which culminated in them performing on stage at a charity event in front of 1,000 people. Tom Jones, who happened to be at the event, joined them on stage.
Alumni band rocks Muswell Hill’s TreeHouse School
6th February 2019
The AustistiX performed at TreeHouse School to staff and pupils. The AutistiX recently performed on the BBC’s One Show, and have also performed with singing legend Sir Tom Jones in the past. The band also perform regularly in mainstream venues, festivals, charity events especially to promote disability and autism causes in schools and colleges.
During their performance at TreeHouse School, they played their own songs and some famous hits that have inspired them including The Beatles and Bruce Springsteen.
Treehouse School’s Patxi Del Amo, said: “It was an amazing show put on by the band, they had a lot of energy and talent and everyone at the school was buzzing and dancing along to all their songs. It was an honour to have Saul back with us, this time as alumni and we hope the band’s success continues to soar.”
Autistic Rock Band Grooves To Its Own Beat
18th August 2018
A rock band made up primarily of performers with autism has a message for present and future fans.
"We don't want people to feel bad or sorry about us 'cause we're autistic," one member says in a new mini-documentary about the band. "We want people to come to our gigs and enjoy the music. You can also head-bang if you like."
Ladies and gentlemen, we give you The AutistiX, billed by the Guardian as "the UK’s premier autistic rock group."
The AutistiX: the band who use music to fight their 'social hurdles'
4th May 2018
Like any rock band, The AutistiX face challenges: from setting up before a gig, to making sure they give their fans a good show when they perform. Yet for some members of the band there are also "social hurdles" to contend with. Three of the six-piece have autism and the music [and band] helps them to "escape their thoughts, feelings and anxieties".
The AutistiX to play at the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool for World Autism Awareness Week
26th March 2018
The AutistiX are a British rock band, who just happen to have members with Autism. It is a band that bonded as friends with passion for music and a mutual love of The Beatles. The band have become known for their original songwriting as well as performing popular covers, especially those of The Beatles.
Festability meets The AutistiX
26th February 2018
A quick chat with The AutistiX-
Tell us how the band came about:
We started as a community based music group and gradually evolved into a band, naming ourselves The AutistiX and performing gigs locally, nationally and abroad.
We perform at mainstream venues, disability events and fundraisers.
We have recorded our music – we have just released our third EP.
17th August 2015
They’re loud, fast, and have an important message when it comes to inclusion.
The AutistiX are a six-piece rock band out of the U.K. who blast the kind of straight-ahead, guitar-heavy riffs you’d expect from a group whose website name checks The Clash, Nirvana, and The Rolling Stones all in the same paragraph. But while The AutistiX may have fairly conventional rock and roll inspiration, the band itself is hardly your average garage outfit.
Get Ready to Meet Your New Favourite Band
12th July 2015
Meet Jack, Luke, and Saul. These three friends are members of a British rock band that…uh…rocks. Really rocks.
Not only that, but they’re also on the autism spectrum.
They’re not the only musicians in their up-and-rising band, The AutistiX, but they form a defining part of it. The band plays cover songs, as well as their own original numbers (some of which concern the autism experience).
And they’re good; at one of their gigs, they got a standing ovation from an audience of over 1,000 people! These guys really know how to use their talents. Autism doesn’t get them down.
Autism Rocks - The AutistiX
14th May 2015
Jack, Luke and Saul are The AutistiX - theautistix.com - the UK’s premier autistic rock group. The boys are a tight-knit friendship group, expressing themselves through rock and roll in a way that they struggle to off the stage. Can they impress the crowds as they go on tour for the first time, and build up to their biggest gig so far, Autism’s Got Talent?
Camden Rocks Festival
1st February 2014
The AutistiX have been rocking together since 2010. We are a unique 6 person rock band from Camden (!!!) that includes some musicians with autism but are not a disability band.
They are quirky, have great stage presence and get the crowd on their feet!
They write their own music and perform anywhere and everywhere from known rock venues, summer festivals, charity events, schools and Unis. The have had films made about them and shown on BBC’s Amazing Humans: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06677gc.
Bands with autism and Down’s Syndrome take to the stage for AutistiX’s Camden tour
3rd September 2013
A Camden band of autistic teenagers have performed on the return leg of a tour with a Spanish band whose members all have Down’s Syndrome.
Camden group The AutistiX and Spanish band Motxila 21, toured together this summer in Spain. Motxila 21 arrived in Camden last week to again perform with the group of autistic teenagers and performed at The Camden Society and at a service for people with learning disabilities in Kentish Town.
Autistic band from Camden ready for Hampstead Summer Festival after Spanish tour
15th June 2013
A Camden-based band of autistic teenagers will perform at the Hampstead Summer Festival this year fresh from their first international tour.
The three members of AutistiX had to overcome the challenges of an “intense” and “unrelenting” tour in Spain. They visited three cities with Spanish band Motxila 21, whose musicians all have Down’s Syndrome.
Autism rock band The AutistiX go on tour to Spain
25th May 2013
A group of north London musicians who have overcome extraordinary obstacles are about to embark on their first international tour.
The members of The AutistiX, as the name suggests, all have autism, but they have not let any of their disabilities get in the way of a tour in Spain and recording their first album.
Alumni band rocks Muswell Hill’s TreeHouse School
6th February 2019
The AustistiX performed at TreeHouse School to staff and pupils. The AutistiX recently performed on the BBC’s One Show, and have also performed with singing legend Sir Tom Jones in the past. The band also perform regularly in mainstream venues, festivals, charity events especially to promote disability and autism causes in schools and colleges.
During their performance at TreeHouse School, they played their own songs and some famous hits that have inspired them including The Beatles and Bruce Springsteen.
Treehouse School’s Patxi Del Amo, said: “It was an amazing show put on by the band, they had a lot of energy and talent and everyone at the school was buzzing and dancing along to all their songs. It was an honour to have Saul back with us, this time as alumni and we hope the band’s success continues to soar.”
