ASD Band: The Movie

- [Narrator 1] This program is made possible by, - [Narrator 2] One in 36 kids has autism.

ABA Centers is dedicated to unlocking a child's potential.

We offer care in our centers, homes, schools, and communities everywhere.

More information is available online at abacenters.com/PTV.

- [Narrator 3] The Child Mind Institute is dedicated to transforming the lives of families and children facing mental health and learning disorders.

We provide millions of families with free online resources.

Learn more at childmind.org.

- [Narrator 4] Sutter Health, committed to advancing care for everyone, supporting autism and IDD Care with software built for ABA and multidisciplinary practices.

CentralReach, unlock potential.

Learn more at centralreach.com.

- [Narrator 5] ABA Technologies creates training and performance solutions designed to help retain staff, improve culture, and aid in achieving organizational outcomes.

Learn more at abatechnologies.com.

(minivan hums) - Hi, guys.

- Hi, guys.

- Hi, everyone.

- Nice to see you.

(laughs) (doors thudding) - Oh, that was great.

- No, you gonna facing that way?

No, you face this way.

- (whimpers) What you mean?

That, that.

- Huh?

- This one.

- Yeah, that's a way.

(piano playing) - Hey, Ron.

- Hi.

- Long time, no see.

Hey.

- I miss you!

- As do I.

Can you play just an an E?

- Well, it's not working.

- Oh, that's all right.

- Could you ask someone to?

(guitar strumming) - [Rawan] Hello.

- [Jackson] Hey.

Rawan's here.

- [Ron] Hi, Rawan.

- Hi, Ron.

How are you?

- Oh, good.

(Rawan wheezing) - Hey.

It's Spenser.

- Hey, guys.

- Ahoy, Spenser.

- Hi.

- How's it going?

Sorry I'm a bit late.

- [Ron] Long time, no see.

(Rawan laughs) (drums banging) - Yes, play.

(gentle music) - ASD Band is a group of musicians who are on the autism spectrum, like myself.

- [Producer] Let's let this plane pass.

(airplane whirring) (Jackson humming) (rock music) - We're all autistic and we're all in a band, ASD Band.

And that's the general gist.

We glow in the dark It's our time to shine And glide through the night - [Jackson] We've been playing together for a long time, but now this is real.

Now we're writing songs.

Now we're gonna record an album.

(drums banging) (steady music) - All right.

Here comes Eddie.

Mr.

Loyal Eddie.

(laughs) - Yeah.

(laughs) - Here we come.

- Oh, what can I do in the meantime?

Yes.

Okay.

(footsteps thudding) (TV chatter) - [Jim] Eddie come.

- Well, I'm gonna go downstairs now.

(washing machine humming) Yeah, yeah.

There it is.

There's the washing machine again.

(washing machine buzzes) (upbeat electronic music) I'm the world's best finger drummer.

(drumbeat playing) (Jackson vocalizing) (Jackson continues vocalizing) (Jackson continues vocalizing) (Jackson continues vocalizing) Yeah.

It's gonna have some classic rock guitar in it.

When I first started writing music, I had the idea that if I draw like a mural on the wall, I could take a picture of it and that could be an album cover.

Welcome to his palace.

And that's meant to be a palace.

(washing machine buzzes) (washing machine clunking) Well, it's okay.

I'm showing everybody how noisy it is down here.

- Yeah.

(rock music) - Okay, cool.

(washing machine buzzing) (footsteps crunching) (birds cooing) (birds flapping) (band members chattering) (guitar strumming) - Yeah.

- No, that would be wonderful.

- [Ron] We're ready.

- So like, do we all have ideas for multiple songs?

'Cause I got my own idea.

Like, look.

I figured, I come with half a song.

We could work on the rest of it together.

- Yeah.

- Okay, do you want to show us what you have so far?

- Yeah.

(guitar strumming) They say that all the world's a stage We all play along in a great charade Where everybody knows the lines Following Oh.

I can't read my own chicken scratch.

All right.

- We could do it a couple of ways, is, we could just do, add one instrument at a time and just sort of play around a bit with that.

Without singing anything, just play the chord progression for him to try that drum pattern too.

They say that all the world's a stage We all play along in a great charade Where everybody knows the lines Of following cues in perfect time Although I am left in the dark For I shall never miss the mark I won't be afraid Won't be afraid Of having had a masquerade (Rawan vocalizing) - Okay, so, is that the right speed?

I mean, in terms of the sounds coming from him?

- [Jackson] Yeah.

It's the right tempo, yeah.

- Yeah.

Right.

Like this, the snare happens that often, right?

- Yeah.

Is there more water?

- Good idea.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- More water!

(Rawan laughs) - [Band Member] Need water, please.

- That's right.

- All right, committee for more water, put your Bristol boards down.

The strike is off.

(band member laughing) (band member grunting) (group laughing) - That's better.

- [Rawan] Yes, please.

Thank you.

- [Maury] Just take Ron and I through the chords quickly, so he can have a chart to run.

So it's E to G sharp minor to C sharp minor, right?

- [Jackson] In the verse, yeah.

(guitar strumming) - Does that look okay to you?

- Yes.

- Okay.

And then if I put this, that means repeat, yeah?

- Yes.

- Okay, great.

And then that happens a second time?

- Yeah, I think, that's the entire verse.

(Maury whistling) Yeah.

They say that all the world's a stage (piano playing) (Jackson humming) - Well, this seems too easy.

It's like, it's already, it's already becoming a song.

I thought we'd have more trouble.

So this is good.

(steady music) I shall never miss the mark I won't be afraid, won't be afraid Of having had a masquerade Of the masquerade I live for today Live for today The albatross flies away I'll shatter the glass Shatter the glass And move on from the past Move on from the past I won't be afraid, won't be afraid And it won't (Rawan vocalizing) - Some sort of breakdown there - It's cool.

It's really, it's already sounding like something.

- I like it.

- Yeah.

It's kind of neat.

- I think the song sounded pretty good.

Take this.

I'm just memorizing it.

- [Maury] You memorized it?

- Oh, sure.

- Amazing, Ron.

Okay.

- Good.

- That's great.

- You sure you don't need it?

- [Ron] No.

No.

- [Maury] Apparently the cameras don't have hands.

- [Spenser] The cameras aren't there.

Pretend they're not there.

- Cameras aren't here.

There aren't cameras here.

That's right.

- In the last chorus, I kind of thought it might be better, like, it's still kind of the same idea, but if we all just kind of went like, (Spenser humming) (drums beating) and it would still, like, have the same kind of feel.

- So shots?

- Yeah.

I think it's sounding really good.

I really like the song, really catchy.

Like, I really like the lyrics.

- [Jackson] Thank you, Spenser.

- Like, I'm like pretty, I'm like singing along while I play the drums here.

- [Group] A one, two, three, four.

And more (steady music) (traffic humming) (piano note plays) - [Jhoana] What note is this?

- [Rawan] A.

- [Jhoana] Very good.

Correct.

How about this one?

(piano note plays) - [Rawan] B flat.

- [Jhoana] Very good.

(piano note plays) (Rawan hums) - Hmm.

(piano note plays) E flat?

- Very good.

Next.

(piano note plays) (Rawan hums) - G. - Excellent.

You're very good.

(Jhoana clapping) So proud of you.

That's one of your, like, talents.

It is really like unique.

- Thank you for the nice words, Jhoana.

- [Jhoana] You're very welcome.

(piano playing) He will hold me fast I'll be home at last - In middle school, they tended to make me sing on demand, and my naiveness, I thought I was gonna get famous off it for a minute.

I was wrong.

I didn't understand like, you know, the social cues or jokes.

Everybody loves a winner So nobody loved me Honestly, I yearned to be popular, because I wanted to, to not be seen as something wrong.

I didn't wanna keep being picked on, for example.

All the odds are in my favor Something's bound to give in - ASD band is an awesome thing for Rawan.

She's practicing.

She's excited about writing her original songs, and you can tell the energy in the house has changed.

We have a purpose here because Rawan is so excited.

We're giving her some room, okay?

For her to create something.

(Rawan vocalizing) (Rawan continues vocalizing) - [Jhoana] Very good.

(footsteps clacking) - Yeah, this was the, this was the song I was working on actually.

Yeah, "Broken" by Rawan Tuffaha.

It was a song that had to do with a friendship that first started right but then like, you know, crashed then burned and went wrong and toxic as it went.

(Rawan sighs) I must find the strength to move on Yeah.

Yeah.

I'm excited about completing "Broken," and you know, I just imagine how it will play, I just imagine like, you know, it playing out like in public venues.

- Yeah, it'll be cool once we actually start playing the songs live, yeah.

- Earlier, we were talking about, like, what our, I, like our dream venue would be.

- [Rawan] Yeah.

- I think like, I've been, I've been like mulling over all the big auditoriums and theaters around the world that I know of.

And the one I keep coming back to is, the Hollywood Bowl, the big outdoor, outdoor like auditorium.

- Okay.

- Yeah.

- [Spenser] Give Ron any date in history and he'll tell you what day of the week it is.

- June 10th, 1994.

- It's on the Friday, June 10th, 1994.

- January 1st, 2040.

- Sunday, the 1st of January.

- Yeah.

It's a Sunday.

- April the 3rd, 2063.

- Tuesday.

- Yeah.

Yeah.

(piano playing) (piano playing continues) - Today, I'm going to bake a banana bread for you guys.

(piano playing) (piano continues playing) (piano continues playing) (piano continues playing) (piano continues playing) - [Lucy] I think when he was the age of four.

- Four.

- He loves "Barney" so much.

- Three and a half, almost four.

- Three and half.

(laughs) Okay.

(piano playing) He just played by himself the "Barney" song.

- On the organ.

- Different keys.

I love you You love me (Lucy laughing) - Yeah.

- You still remember.

In different keys.

- Yeah.

- Yes.

- At four years old.

So we, right then, we know that he is in something tunes.

- That's right, we purchased that electronic keyboard.

- Keyboard.

- Yeah.

So he can have something to play with, right?

- [Lucy] And he was playing classical pieces on the keyboard every day, every single day.

Two hours, three hours, four hours.

(piano playing) And then I think after two months, three months, we just thought he's the one playing.

Say, oh my God.

We had a goosebump, my husband and I.

- We were arguing.

Oh, it's the keyboard that's playing.

- No, he was the one.

(parents laughing) He just have it listening.

(piano playing) - Look at my three CDs here.

(Lucy laughing) The first one is "My Music and Me."

Second one here was "A Quiet Night with Ron" here.

(piano playing) My last one is here, it's "One More Time by Ron."

Guys, look.

(water trickling) (piano playing) I made my own banana bread.

(piano playing) (rock music) (rock music continues) (rock music continues) - Yeah.

- [Producer] What do the neighbors say?

- They don't like us.

And they're saying, it's like two o'clock on a Wednesday.

Could you shut up?

I just choose to just let it roll off my back, you know, I ignore it.

- But like, they also complain in the afternoon sometimes too.

(band member burps) They're like, you guys have been playing for five hours straight.

(drums beating) - [Band Member] Yeah.

- Well, yeah.

This is my cat Henry.

I've had him for like, at least 10 years or something.

This is basically my best friend.

I play in another band, which is a punk band, with people that are all neurotypical.

But like, I don't find, when I'm playing with ASD Band, the songs are any weaker or like people are having trouble.

I don't really see the disability there.

(steady music) (punk rock music) I'm not going back to what finally (rockers sing indistinctly) (band member laughing) - Speaking of getting complaints from upstairs, apparently the guy's on a work call and wants us to stop playing.

(punk rock music) (Spenser laughing) (traffic humming) We are the fireflies We glow in the dark It is our time to shine And glide through the night - I like this.

I like this.

Here, your dreams and thoughts are bad as You'll be on It doesn't matter (Rawan vocalizing) - No, no, no, no, no.

Don't go so high.

- Why?

- Okay?

Keep it down.

The second verse?

Okay?

We're gonna make it higher.

- Okay.

- Okay.

(footsteps scraping) Go honey, go.

Sorry.

- Thank you.

I have all the lyrics and the paper but, and I edited things here and there, but hmm.

I'm not sure what the chord should be.

- [Maury] Sure.

I'm sure, if you have a melody in mind, it will, - Okay.

- It will inform what we are gonna play.

- Okay.

- Yeah.

Our world is a spectrum With every color in between Every color will shine Every shade will appear We're different but not less Different for sure but never settle for less Different but not less Different for sure but we'll never settle for less Our world is a spectrum With every color in between Every color will shine Every shade will appear We're different but not less - [Maury] So does somebody want to try an intro?

- Okay.

- [Maury] Yeah?

You wanna just hit us with some C to F?

- Yes.

- Ron?

(piano playing) Right.

Another fear I put on top of the project is that, okay, everybody's honest, nobody has any sarcasm.

Nobody can take a joke.

They're going to be saying so much of what they need and what they want that we're going to be slowed down by this.

But I think actually the reverse is true because what ends up happening is, when people are straightforward, it makes space for things to go forward.

- [Jackson] I have an idea.

- [Maury] And then everybody just says yes even more.

- Okay.

Yeah, suppose Ron does his intro, but then like we throw the listener off with a massive tonal shift by doing like a tri-tone riff in the beginning.

Like, (guitar strumming) - Sure.

What is it?

What's, what are the notes?

- I think G and C Sharp.

- [Maury] Okay.

That's gonna throw us.

- Yeah.

(piano playing) Yes.

(laughs) It's gonna throw people.

(piano playing) B flat?

(piano playing) (rock music) (rock music continues) Our whole world is a spectrum With every color in between Every color will shine Every shade will appear Different but not less Different for sure We'll never settle for less We're different but not less Different for sure, but we'll never settle for less - [Producer] Okay.

That's great.

- [Maury] I think someone's gonna ask to use this in their TV show.

This is so rad.

This is so fun.

- It sounds, yeah, it sounds like, - I would love if that were the case.

- Right?

- Yeah.

- [Maury] Maybe it'll be our TV show.

(rock music) - I know.

It reminds her like Miley Cyrus or something.

- [Maury] Perfect, so, - Oh my God.

That wouldn't suck.

- [Spenser] It sounds like the theme song for whatever, her show.

- "Hannah Montana."

- Yeah.

- It sounds totally, it's very catchy.

- Got that kind of vibe too.

- [Maury] Exactly.

- [Ron] Or what about the Jonas Brothers?

- [Maury] What about the Jonas Brothers?

- Ah!

- Definitely, it's definitely like, - Kind of late, - Very Disney.

- Late 2000s, - Definitely Disney.

- Early 2010s Nickelodeon energy to it.

(band members chattering) - Congratulations.

(Maury laughing) - [Maury] Ron, you're the best.

(furniture creaking) - Okay, so you're in charge.

Tell me what you want me to do.

- Okay.

I just have to get everything outta the fridge.

Sure.

- All right.

(water trickling) What is this?

Zucchini?

- Yeah.

- In chili?

- Yeah.

- Zucchini in chili?

- What is this?

"Ratatouille"?

(utensils tapping) - [Pat] Okay, put a little bit of, - [Ryley] Oops, sorry.

- [Pat] A little bit of olive oil and a little bit of the sunflower oil at the bottom.

- [Ryley] Okay.

Spense, do you wanna do something?

- Not really.

- [Ryley] Well, can you help us?

- I guess if I have to.

- [Pat] You can cut up the zucchini.

- Sure.

- So, yeah.

How was it writing with them?

Like, everybody felt collaborative and?

- Yeah.

Everyone was having good time.

Like, it went well.

Everyone kind of put, had inputs to it.

- [Ryley] That's great.

- I thought the songs were gonna kind of suck and then it turned out that they actually sound really good.

- Well, that's good.

(Pat laughing) - So I'm happy, I'm like, - [Ryley] It exceeded your expectations.

- Yes, it definitely exceeded my expectations.

Yeah.

- That's amazing.

Our family doesn't fully understand what autism spectrum disorder is and where Spenser falls on that spectrum.

And a big part of that is because Spenser is so high functioning.

- If you say it's a word, then whatever.

- [Pat] It is a word.

C-E-E. And you have a blank?

- I'm not using my blank.

Stop looking at my letters.

(family laughing) - [Ryley] Sir?

Nice.

- [Spenser] Well that's cheating.

Stop cheating.

- 35.

(tiles clattering) No, that's not a stick.

Oh.

- Go.

- She's so confused.

- Go.

- Don't push her.

Don't push her.

She has a sore leg.

- Yes.

(Spenser groans) She needs to go.

- Okay.

Don't push her, please.

She has a sore thing.

- I don't care.

She needs to get down.

- That's not for you.

No.

(laughs) You know, I've heard even Spenser say things like, sometimes he doesn't really feel like he is fully autistic and I'm not sure if he's even really done a ton of work to understand, you know, where he lies on the spectrum and why he does some of the things that he does.

(tense music) - This'll maybe make things a little easier.

- [Ryley] On.

One.

Okay.

(family laughing) Awesome.

(family laughing) - [Pat] Thank you, Spenser!

- What we've been waiting for.

- Four points.

It's four points.

(wind chime tinkling) - Yeah.

- What do you got?

- Yeah, certainly.

Oh, he found his water juice.

- Ooh.

Can I have one, Max?

- Mr. Water Juice.

- [Karla] Can I have one?

- Nope.

- Nope.

(laughs) - Thanks.

I tried.

- Let me get your shoes.

Where's your shoes?

- Ah, yes.

Maxwell Jay, my younger brother.

He's three years my junior, and he's also on the autism spectrum.

(chair creaks) Car ride?

Car ride.

He said the words.

- [Grandmother] Okay, let's go.

(doors thudding) He likes to squeeze those bottles.

- Like Max, Max uses the bottles as a stress reliever.

(steady music) Maxwell is an avid music listener.

If there's a song that he really likes, he plays it over and over and cranks it up.

And sometimes there's a few of my songs that he gets really hooked on, which, if Max likes it, I know it's good enough, - It's good.

- For people to hear.

(grandmother chuckles) (family chattering) That's my mother, that's me.

That's dad.

That's Max.

- Yeah.

That was when your mom was good then.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

Jack was born in '97.

They got married in '96, and three months later, she started having symptoms.

But she's been in a wheelchair now 10 years maybe.

- [Producer] Which condition does she have?

- MS. She was such an athletic person.

You never know what's gonna happen, do you?

(solemn music) But you gotta give Jim a lot of credit.

He hung in there.

You really do.

Yep.

- [Producer] Yeah.

He cares for a lot of people.

- Yeah.

That's right.

Yeah.

- [Producer] And so do you.

- Yeah, I try.

(laughs) I try to help out, yeah.

Yeah.

- How does Jackson help?

- Max thinks the world of him, and he says, I like my brother.

(laughs) He doesn't say too many things together, you know?

I mean, he'll say words, but not too many sentences.

Yeah.

I guess I better check these here too.

(silverware clatters) (contemplative music) - This is one half of a verse and this is ping ponging between two singers, male and female.

It's in six eight.

(hand thudding) I guess it does seem kinda crazy I guess it does seem kinda mad (Jackson grunts) (TV chattering) In all my life I've never once believed And this part is gonna be harmonized.

In all my life In all my life I never once believed I'd one day see the forest through the trees - But I don't know, what I'd like to see happen right now with the ASD Band is, you know, hopefully they can get it and play somewhere, you know, and have some fun.

'cause you know, they're having fun doing all this stuff and doing their practicing and recording.

That's all great.

But getting up on a stage and performing is, it's the most fun.

- Especially, especially since we now have a growing library of original music that's perfect for live venues.

- Yeah.

Yeah.

- And I know it's probably blind optimism, but I think my time will come.

I mean, 'cause you, - Yeah.

- If anything else, I have to hope it will, you know?

- [Grandmother] It will.

(traffic humming) (car horn honking) (piano playing) - [Rawan] Where are we?

- From the start.

- Top.

Top.

- [Rawan] 'Kay, 'kay.

- Let's start at the beginning, at the top.

- Yeah, let's do that.

- The intro first.

- What a very good place to begin.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

Go on.

- Page one, bar one.

- Here goes.

(piano playing) (Rawan vocalizing) (Rawan continues vocalizing) (rock music) Our world is a spectrum With every color in between Every color will shine Every shade will appear We're different but not less We're different for sure We'll never settle for less We're different but not less We're different for sure but we'll never settle for less Yeah - I have one question for Rawan about the last verse?

- Ah, yeah?

- Yes?

- You keep changing when you come in, either, sometimes you wait a bar and sometimes you go right into singing.

- Oh no.

- How do you want that?

- It's okay.

- How do you want that to go?

- I'm not sure exactly.

- I have a suggestion.

Right in is awesome.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

Do you want go right in?

- The train's running.

It was great.

- Just make sure you do that consistently every time.

- Oh, okay.

- Yeah.

Sure.

- I mean, we'll catch it, but it just, - [Jackson] It'll sound different every time we do it.

- Oh.

- Just, it would be nice to have it consistent.

- (laughs) That's right.

Yeah.

We'll give it our best shot.

- All right.

- But you can go right into it, yeah, that works there.

- Yeah.

'cause then what that means is that the train just keeps trucking and we're really, there's lots of, - And it entertains from the other, and it doesn't make it sound like every other verse too.

- Correct.

That's right.

- Yeah.

- Oh, you, - No, don't feel bad about it.

It's great.

It's great.

- Okay.

- I just wasn't sure what you wanted for your, so yeah, go right into it and that's good.

- So I think, together with these whole note chords, I think Ron can even just play like staccato quarter notes, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, you know?

- [Maury] For which part?

- The last chorus.

- Oh, when it's loud?

(Jackson vocalizing) Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That'd be cool.

- [Jackson] Bah, you know?

- Okay.

Everybody, places.

We're gonna try it again.

- Okay.

One, two, a one, two, three, go.

(rock music) Got us Our world is a spectrum (guitar strumming) - [Jackson] I think that's cool.

- Yeah.

Yeah, I think so.

- But that's above your, - We're gonna write three more songs, I think is the goal.

So let's see if we can, you know, build on what we've done already and keep, you know, keep sharing the kind of music you like.

- I even have this song I wrote, it's called "Broken."

And I think the chords should be like B flat to possibly shifting to B major, I think.

- Okay.

Well, it's already beginning.

And Ron, you too.

Like anything you just happen across on your piano, just bring it to us.

- Yeah, I think so.

- [Maury] Yeah, absolutely.

Absolutely.

You, there are so many things.

- [Producer] Ron, do you have a song?

- Oh, well, - I'm not good, I'm not good at writing lyrics, but I can come up with chorus and stuff.

- [Producer] You have your own song?

- No.

- Soon.

- [Ron] Maybe soon.

- [Maury] We got more songs already.

(cheers) - Thanks, everyone.

Bye.

(water splashing) (zipper unzipping) - Okay, where is the entrance here?

- Hey guys, where are the entrance?

(Lucy laughing) Yes.

- Well, you're gonna compete next time here.

Right?

It's huge.

I love it.

(laughs) Look at that.

See?

It's the Olympic size.

- Yes.

- Love it?

- Yeah, I love that.

- Okay.

- How do you, could you take that off?

- Oh yeah.

Okay.

Take it off.

And set.

(water splashing) - He's so dependent on me, 'cause I'm always with him everywhere.

He always, mom, what shall I do?

Mom?

Even in communication, in conversation, he's having a hard time communicating without me.

(water splashing) I think I have to distance myself from him.

- Good job, Ron.

Awesome.

(water splashing) - You okay?

- Yes.

- Okay.

And have him more independent.

You did great.

- Thank you.

- Good job.

(slow music) (water splashing) (Ron sighs) (slow music) And I am trying to talk to him in a matured way.

Ron, you have to be starting to be independent.

Soon you'll be on your own.

(slow music) (water splashing) We're not getting any younger.

Yeah.

Soon you'll be on your own.

(slow music) I want him to learn how to be by himself.

Everything.

Have his own apartment, and he understand.

He is really trying hard.

(slow music) - What do you say, Max?

Go walk?

- Go walk.

- Go walk.

- You know, as a parent, it is frustrating.

You see other typically developing people, you know, make, making steps towards growing up.

And we had certain expectations at certain points.

(Max shouting) - I can relate to that 'cause I'll say, I'll say, sometimes I'm impatient with myself.

Like I know I'm learning slowly how to be more independent.

But you know, other people my age, they're independent right now.

They're living in their own houses, you know?

- Jackson.

But you're, I told you before, you're helping us.

- Yeah.

- You have me as a mom that needs help.

Maxwell needs help.

So your dad needs help.

(traffic humming) - Good day, Max?

Good day?

Good day.

(slow music) (insects buzzing) Straight line, Max.

- I would like, you know, for Jackson to, you know, be lucky enough to meet, you know, the right person and enjoy - Yeah.

a lifelong relationship with, you know, somebody that he loves and respects.

(slow music) - [Karla] I just worry about Max mostly.

- Yeah.

- I know Jack's gonna be okay, but Max, (Karla sniffles) I'm sorry.

- You know, everybody, everybody wants the best for their children.

And you want your children to experience, you know, all the wonders that life has to offer.

And so, you know, we know that that's not gonna be possible, you know?

And that's, that kind of keeps up at night sometimes.

(Karla sniffles) - I'm sorry.

(slow music) - The band is more on his self-confidence.

In fact, he was telling me, I can go by myself, but I think I am the one who's not comfortable with letting him go by himself.

Okay.

Are you okay, buddy?

- Yes.

- Good.

Are you okay?

- Yes.

- Good.

Take a deep breath.

(Ron sighs) You okay, buddy?

Jackson, very independent.

Right?

And Spenser and Rawan, yeah.

They're all independent and I said, I can do it also, I can do it by myself too.

That's why I think this ASD Band will uplift his maturity, his being independent.

Yeah.

And maybe I can start also from there.

(laughs) (slow music) - [Ron] Maury?

- Yes?

- I have a, - I heard you have a song, Ron.

What's going on?

"Serenity"?

- [Rawan] Ooh, I wanna hear.

- Okay.

Well, maybe we can get right to it.

Rawan, if you have stuff too.

Oh, everybody's pulling paper out of their pockets.

- [Jackson] I got a, - [Maury] I didn't realize you guys would have so much prepared.

- So, Serenity is tranquility A serenity is a peacefulness - [Maury] It's a peacefulness.

Yes.

And something I want To feel when I'm feeling blue - Like this.

- Right.

(piano playing) - Interesting, interesting, interesting.

Okay, so cool.

So that's "Serenity."

- Yes.

- [Maury] Rawan, tell me about what you brought in today.

- It's about like a friendship that progressively grew toxic as it went.

It takes two to tango Nobody's one I must find the strength To move on - Cool.

Well done.

Excellent.

- Thank you.

- So I wrote a duet.

I guess it does seem kind of crazy I guess it does seem kind of mad In all my life I never once believed I'd one day see the forest through the trees From here to there Never resting I'm drifting further every day It's been so long since I went Out to see - Thanks, thanks, thanks.

I reminisce and truly long to be Back home Where the grass is always greener Home Where the sun shines so bright Home (Rawan singing indistinctly) When I return it will be right I miss the twilight of the morning And the stillness - Thank you very much Of the night I couldn't wait another minute I just want to go back home (steady music) They say that hindsight's 20-20 Oh yeah - Rawan, congratulations on the new single.

- [Reporter 1] What's it been like creating music together and a music video?

- [Reporter 2] Can you talk to me about the process of creating this album?

- I wanted to show in the lyrics that, that everybody's different but not less, like everyone on the spectrum.

And we all have different, unique talents.

- A group of young musicians with a powerful message.

- They call themselves ASD Band.

- [Reporter 3] They're known as ASD.

- The ASD, - ASD.

- ASD.

- A band featuring members on the autism spectrum who've just released their first album of original songs.

Is your band gonna go on tour?

Will you perform somewhere live?

- I would really love that.

- Rawan, congratulations and good luck.

Hope this thing skyrockets right to the top of the charts.

- I couldn't agree more.

(Rawan and Jackson vocalizing) I just wanna go back home Happy birthday, dear Ron Happy birthday to you (group cheering) (traffic humming) (guitar strumming) (band members chattering) - Yeah, I get excited about rehearsal days 'cause we get to around for three hours.

We get work done too.

But we mostly spend time just goofing off.

(guitar strumming) Who wears short shorts We like short shorts (Ron laughing) - I have an announcement.

I have an announcement.

- Okay.

- Yeah?

- Which one?

Which one?

- Are you ready?

- Okay.

- [Maury] We got a gig.

- What?

- [Maury] We got a gig!

- Where?

- [Maury] January 27th, 2022.

- [Ron] That's on the Thursday.

- 2022?

- It's on a Thursday.

I love that you know that.

We finally have a gig is the point.

(Maury cheers) - [Jackson] This will be our first time playing on stage as ASD Band, our first gig.

So yeah, I'm excited.

- [Maury] Is anybody getting nervous?

It's getting exciting.

- Yes.

- Yeah.

- [Maury] It's getting pretty exciting in here.

- [Jackson] It's good nerves.

- I have to, - [Spenser] Be like, whoa, that happened.

- I have to concentrate on what I'm doing.

(train whirring) - [Jackson] Today, we are at the Toronto Opera House.

- Can you imagine showing up to, - We're doing performance to promote the EP.

(door clicking) (drums clicking) This is the first time we've all played live together as a band.

So it's kind of, it's kind of like a debut performance.

(footsteps tapping) (crowd chattering) (crowd continues chattering) (footsteps tapping) (gear thudding) It's pretty cool.

I can't find words.

(fabric rustling) (Rawan vocalizing) If everything goes right, like, I'll be like 76, - Yeah.

- And going, I won't be afraid (group laughing) I haven't had a masquerade - [Maury] We'll take the key down a bit for you if that's all right.

Ron, do you ever have jokes that you tell?

- Knock, knock who's there?

- What?

Wait a minute.

Let me say who's there and then you're gonna say something.

Okay?

So you go ahead.

- I go, okay.

Knock knock.

- Who's there?

- Betty who?

- Betty who?

Who?

Betty Who-who?

- Betty the croaker.

- Betty the croaker, (snaps fingers) as in like cake mix?

- Like the cake mix.

- Like the cake mix.

Right?

Bam.

Right there.

- Yeah.

- [Maury] Betty the who who.

- Oh, what about the, I said knock, knock.

- Who's there?

- It's Annie Who.

- Annie Who-who?

- Anything can do whatever you want.

(Maury laughs) (crowd chattering) (hand thumping) (whimsical music) (whimsical music continues) It turned 6:25.

- Lip liner check, Andrew.

- 35 minutes to go.

- [Maury] We don't have to rush.

Right?

- [Rawan] Right.

- We are here to enjoy ourselves.

- If anything, we should be fashionably late.

(Rawan laughing) - I'm raring to go.

I've been wound up and I'm ready to sprint.

25 minutes.

Holy.

- I wanna welcome everyone to the historic opera house.

(audience cheering) - One minute.

- Let's, - We have one minute to go.

- Guys, we're gonna assemble at the side of the stage and stay together in a clump.

Okay?

ASD, ASD, ASD - A.

- A.

- [Group] S. D. - ASD!

- [Group] ASD!

ASD - [Group] ASD!

Go!

(audience cheering) - [Spenser] You guys excited?

- Yeah.

- All right.

(audience muffled cheering) (tense music) (audience cheering) - It's really nice meeting you all.

I'm Rawan Tuffaha but I really can't wait to perform with everybody as we really deserve to be having the fame that we deserve.

(audience cheering) So without further ado, let's give it all we've got, you guys!

(audience cheering) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music continues) (rock music) Our world is a spectrum With every color in between Every color will shine Every shade will appear We're different but not less We're different for sure, we'll never settle for less We're different but not less Different for sure and we'll never settle for less Yeah We are the fireflies We glow in the dark It's our time to shine And glide through the night It's our time to shine And we will glide through the night (audience cheering) (Rawan vocalizing) (audience clapping) - Yeah!

(audience cheering) All right, Jackson, you're up next.

Your song.

- Hello, folks.

(audience cheering) This next song is another original tune from our latest EP release.

This one's called "Masquerade."

And it is all about being oneself.

(audience cheering) Goes like this.

(drumsticks clacking) (rock music) (contemplative music) All of us are kindred spirits (Jackson vocalizing) who get each other.

We speak the same language.

(contemplative music) - [Rola] I've been told that Rawan is a waste of time, that she's never, ever gonna play music, never gonna be able to speak.

(Rawan vocalizing) And look at her.

(Rawan vocalizing) Who could imagine all of this?

(contemplative music) (contemplative music continues) - [Lucy] The main goal that we want to have is to be independent.

I don't know what I'm gonna be without Ron, but you have to.

You have to let him go.

We're on the right path.

So very proud of this guy.

(laughs) (audience cheering) - Good night, everybody!

ASD Band, you guys.

(audience cheering) (audience continues cheering) (contemplative music) - It is always cool like seeing all the bands that have played here before.

Now everyone will know that we've been here.

Thank you.

- Spenser!

(family squealing) - I love you.

You sound amazing.

- You were made for this day now.

(crowd chattering) (contemplative music) (contemplative music continues) - Have a good night then.

Bye.

- [Audience Member] Bye.

(contemplative music) (gear thudding) - Bye, guys.

- [Audience Member] Bye.

- Bye.

(door thuds) - You're okay?

Okay, bye.

Bye.

- Thank you.

You're welcome.

Bye.

- [Lucy] I always tell everyone, it's very challenging when you raise a child with autism, (engine revving) but it's very rewarding.

(contemplative music) - And then the song as we know it starts.

They're all really cool folks.

I'm glad I met them.

And I call them friends.

- [Ron] So eight bars?

- [Maury] Yeah.

- [Ron] Okay.

Def.

(hands clapping) - One, a two, a one, two, three, four, go.

Drums!

(drums beating) One, two, three, go.

(rock music) They say that all the world's a stage We all play a role in a great charade - Thanks.

- Yes!

Where everybody Knows the plan - Very best of luck.

- Thank you so much and thanks for having us.

- [Judge 1] Of course.

The stage is yours.

- [Judge 2] Thanks for being here.

Oh, you know it's not fine.

Yeah (audience cheering) - Go for it.

- Thank you for allowing me to give you your first yes.

- It is my absolute privilege to give you your second yes.

- It's a yes for me.

- Yes, sir!

(audience cheering) - Four yeses!

Congratulations.

Thank you so much.

- Congrats, guys.

Congrats, you guys.

- [Judge 2] Congratulations.

And move on from the past I won't be afraid anymore (dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) (dramatic music continues) (dramatic music continues) - [Narrator 1] This program is made possible by, - [Narrator 2] One in 36 kids has autism.

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