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You and YoursÌý- Transcript 91Èȱ¬ Radio 4 |
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TX: 26.10.04 - Autism Band Ìý PRESENTER: LIZ BARCLAY Ìý |
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THE ATTACHED TRANSCRIPT WAS TYPED FROM A RECORDING AND NOT COPIED FROM AN ORIGINAL SCRIPT.Ìý BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF MISHEARING AND THE DIFFICULTY IN SOME CASES OF IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS, THE 91Èȱ¬ CANNOT VOUCH FOR ITS COMPLETE ACCURACY. BARCLAY When Jamie Davies joined the Wirral Autistic Society as music tutor in 1997 he did what many people working in the field of autism thought was impossible, he formed a band called the Beathovens, most of whom are autistic. They've played in clubs and at festivals all over the country, they've even appeared on the same bill as Bob Geldof. We sent Judy Merry to see them play live at the Oxton Festival on the Wirral where she spoke to Paul Earl, who plays bass, and Jamie Davies who plays lead guitar. Ìý ACTUALITY - BAND PRACTISING One, two a one, two, three, four. Ìý DAVIES People are genuinely really shocked when we start playing because I think there's quite a kind of ahh factor, people come to see us and they haven't heard us play and I don't think they're quite prepared for the sound that we make and the fact that we are a band, we're the real thing, we're not a token thing. Ìý EARL What does a token thing mean? Ìý DAVIES That means - because some people might come to see us thinking oh isn't it wonderful, kind of thing, but like when they hear us play right you can hear the jaws hitting the floor, people are just amazed at the sounds that we make. Ìý EARL ... jaws hit the floor. Ìý DAVIES It means that their mouths are just - they kind of open their mouths in surprise because we're so good, you know what I mean. Ìý The classic definition of autism is to have an impairment in social interaction, communication and imagination. And if I was to describe music I'd be using exactly those terms because it is about - especially playing in the band - it's about social interaction, it is about communication and it is so much about using the imagination. Ìý EARL Because autism is a condition where it gives you special talents than normal people have, that makes it difficult for people to understand life who have autism. Ìý MERRY What are those challenges that you have to get over? Ìý EARL Controlling your anger, being calm, you have to be. Ìý DAVIES People with autism can often be quite isolated and find it difficult to communicate. Ìý EARL I still feel that myself sometimes as well. Ìý DAVIES But I mean we all play together and more than listening to each other you know you have to play it as a unit, playing gigs you have to really rely on each other. Ìý MUSIC Ìý DAVIES We played a gig down in London in the very early days of the band and when we were going down on the bus the bus was quiet you know, everyone was kind of looking out the window, everyone was in their own kind of world but when we were coming back I was like looking round and everyone was talking to each other because we'd just done this amazing gig and it was such an experience to go down there. Ìý VOX POPS One of the best bands I've ever heard in my life. Ìý I think they're brilliant, really fantastic. Ìý Alternative. Ìý They're one of the first in the country aren't they to do it - autism band. Ìý I didn't realise they were an autistic band - that's cool, they're really good. Ìý So you didn't even know? Ìý No. Ìý What do you think about that then? Ìý I thought they were excellent, thoroughly enjoyed it and they looked as if they were having so much fun and the audience their toes were tapping, it was really, really good. Ìý I've just met somebody who had no idea that some members of the band are autistic. Ìý No well you wouldn't, on their own merits they were fantastic. Ìý DAVIES There was a lady came up to us after a gig and she was really moved by what we were doing, she said she realised what it means to me - I'm the mother of a person with autism and to see you up there having fun and making this wonderful music it just means so much to me as a parent to see you doing that. Ìý MERRY Playing live means a lot to the members of the band too. As they came off stage I asked them how they felt. Ìý BAND MEMBERS [indistinct words] special person - special I think. Ìý Alan what about you, how do you feel now? Ìý Very well thank you. I liked it very much, very much. Ìý First gig Dave how do you feel? Ìý Brilliant, fantastic audience. Ìý DAVIES I mean it's a very powerful thing to stand up in front of an audience and say listen to me, that is such a powerful thing to do and it's such a really positive way to introduce yourself to people because it's got such a kudos - people - so there's Paul, he's the bass player in the Beathovens, like you know, that's really cool. Ìý EARL I've got praised before, which I'm pleased about thanks. Ìý MUSIC - REHEARSAL Ìý DAVIES Vince, our drummer, is reggae mad, he loves reggae and we started off doing Summertime, it was his idea to do it to a reggae beat, it sounded amazing you know. And there's a line in there in Summertime - hush little baby don't you cry - and that gave us the idea of doing the vocal like a whisper rather than a Janis Joplin style. Ìý MUSIC Ìý And that led us really into doing more and more of our own songs and I think it's important for us to be creating our own music because we've got a lot to say. Ìý MERRY What would you like to say through your music? Ìý EARL Expressing my own feelings, having fun, making other people laugh, feelings - let's put it this way. Ìý DAVIES For instance we've written a song called Easy which is all about basically it's not being too hard on yourself and to get out and enjoy life and make the most of what you've got. Ìý MUSIC - EASY Ìý It's a compliment for me to play with Paul, Paul's got perfect pitch, he can play literally anything on any instrument. Paul will hear a melody and he'll play it, there's no scales to practise, he can think of a melody, he can create a melody. Ìý EARL Make up baselines. Ìý DAVIES Make up baselines that are phenomenal and just play them. Ìý EARL I do know I've got that talent because I don't need music to read and also I can play keyboard and piano I can. Ìý ACTUALITY - GIG Okay we've saved the best till last. Dave's going to sing a song now that he's written. It looks like it's called I'm a Millionaire. Ìý MERRY Have there been people who thought that you were crazy to try and start a band like this? Ìý DAVIES People who work in this field of autism are people that are usually the most shocked and the most pleased at what we're doing. I mean how many times do we hear Paul that we're going to play somewhere and like there's no idea, you know what I mean, that this could happen. Ìý MUSIC Ìý BARCLAY The Beathovens.Ìý Back to the You and Yours homepage The 91Èȱ¬ is not responsible for external websites |
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