top of page

The AutistiX summer gigs and band update!

DEA1E275-F05F-4AA3-89F5-97094D0C7A98_1_105_c.jpeg

The AutistiX (updated short bio) June 2025

 

We are The AutistiX! We’re a unique 7 person band that started in Camden, and are still based in this area in London, the epicentre of the London music scene. Our name was chosen by our band members as our youngest band members cope with autism and additional challenges. However, we are not a ‘disability’ band. We write our own songs (that will be released soon as we have recently starting recording our 5th EP!)

As well as being passionate about music and being the best musicians we can be, we have a further mission that is to promote social inclusion, valuing people and inspiring others to believe in their own dreams, as well as loving our music and our lively upbeat performances.

We are delighted to announce that Leo Long has joined The AutistiX as a full member of the band, playing electric bouzouki and singing vocals! He is the actor who played the role of Stevie in the wonderful Netflix film that our drummer, Saul, inspired, and in which Saul appeared as a djembe drummer in crucial drum circle scenes in the film. It is amazing that we have developed a long term relationship with Leo, who is a talented neurodivergent actor and musician. It’s all thanks to the film ‘I Used To Be Famous’ and the screen writer and director Eddie Sternberg who cast Leo in the film, otherwise we might never have met him!

We are:

Jack Beaven-Duggan electric and acoustic guitar and backing vocals

John Duggan electric guitar/bass and backing vocals

Saul Zur-Szpiro drum kit and percussion

Michael Zur-Szpiro harmonica

Jim Connelly lead vocals

Adam Markiewicz bass player

Leo Long electric bouzouki and vocals

We’ve performed at legendary UK venues and some abroad, play lots of festivals, we have even performed with Sir Tom Jones. Our drummer Saul inspired a Netflix film called I Used To Be Famous about the power of

music and social inclusion, and performs in drum circle scenes in the film. One of our newest songs I Am As I Am

is in the film too. The film reached no 2 in the UK and no 4 globally. We are excited to announce that the neurodivergent actor who played the role of Stevie in the film has joined The AutistiX, playing electric bazooka and singing vocals.

Contact Band Manager Susan theautistix@gmail.com Find us on website www.theautistix.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/theautistix Instagram www.instagram.com/theautistix

‘X’ Twitter www.twitter.com/theautistix Spotify www.spotify.com/theautistix

Youtube www.youtube.com/theautistix

​

Search

The AutistiX are working on our newest EP!

  • Writer: theautistixband
    theautistixband
  • Feb 24, 2020
  • 2 min read

Updated: May 17, 2021

A unique indie rock band, we've been together almost a decade! What makes us unique? We have 6 band members including three musicians who have autism. So we named ourselves ‘The AutistiX’. Saul plays the drums, Jack plays electric guitar, Graham is our bass player, Jim is our lead singer & band ‘mentor’, a community musician and specialist with autism, plus our, erm, more mature members, John and Michael play electric guitar and harmonica. We have two missions: to create and perform quality music, to bring fun and entertainment to our audiences. At the same time, we highlight the talent of musicians with autism and other disabilities. We promote social inclusion, value diversity and want to inspire others to break down barriers. Above all, we create great songs and love to perform!

Media

Last year, we appeared live on the BBC’s The One Show on 9th January. It featured a film made about The AutistiX, by Simon Weitzman and the amazing drummer, Rick Jupp, who was the drummer in the world famous band Elbow and the father of a talented son with autism.

We released our latest EP at the end of 2017 called The Meadow Sunshine, featuring 4 new original songs (available on itunes, soundcloud and other music sites). We have nearly finished 4 new songs that we will record for a new EP soon, including our first ever song about autism, called Autism!

We were filmed for a programme on BBC3’s Amazing Humans https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06677gc plus numerous other music videos, gig performances, and photos on our social media sites, plus regular updates on facebook, twitter, Instagram and, of course, our website.

Our performances

We did many gigs over the year, including at a number of festivals, check out photos and videos on our FB page.

The AutistiX have performed at legendary UK venues (The Barfly, the Bull and Gate, Proud Camden, O2 Academy Islington, Star & Garter, The White Rock Hastings, Brighton Dome, The Monarch, and at the iconic Cavern Club in Liverpool, to name a few). We regularly appear at summer festivals, and perform at fundraising gigs on behalf of the National Autistic Society and other disability related charities. A few years ago, in front of an audience of over 1200, our performance with Sir Tom Jones, resulted in a rousing standing ovation. We’ve also performed in Spain, Switzerland, Guernsey and Romania.

The AutistiX band members:

Jack Beaven-Duggan (electric guitar/backing vocals); Saul Zur-Szpiro (drums/ backing vocals); Graham Spragg (bass guitar/backing vocals); Jim Connelly (lead singer); John Duggan, Jack's father (electric guitar) & Michael Zur-Szpiro, Saul's father (harmonica).


 
 
 

Comments

Subscribe Form

Thanks for submitting!

©2021 by The AutistiX. Proudly created with Wix.com

bottom of page