 Played By: Ben Jorgensen Voice: Sam Sparro Plays Like: Dominic Howard (Muse) Birthdate & Age: June 6, 1989 (19) Siblings: Kherington (17) Screen name: stop slow jules Biography: Born as the product of years spent trying to conceive a child, his mother having been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, Julian was brought into the world in June of 1989 to Elaine and Graham Jonsson. Having a pediatric doctor for a mother and an English studies teacher for a father, he was raised in an upper-middle class household in Port Augusta, South Australia, even later becoming the perfect textbook family after the adoption of his younger sister, Kherington. Not wanting to deny anything of the children they adored, his parents had decided early on that, as open-minded intellectuals, they would support any creative endeavor he or Kheri went on. So as Julian developed his motor skills and grew to acquire an intense fascination for music and anything that made noise, he found himself attending paid music lessons by five years old. Starting with classical piano and moving on to dabble with an array of other instruments, it wasn't until age eight that he found his calling: the drums. His affinity for banging pots and pans before he was old enough to speak should have been a sure-fire clue to his future talents in percussion, but the first time sitting behind a drumset and wielding a pair of sticks, there was no denying. It was true love. Despite growing up in a relatively stress-free, comfortable environment, Julian started to act out with the usual rebelling children are notorious for, starting with minor offenses like disrupting class or skipping it altogether, smoking with older kids, the kinds of things parents frowned upon but didn't consider warning signs. Because in general, despite the short temper he had when it came to certain people, Julian was an upbeat child. His personality proved to be almost painfully happy-go-lucky, even forced at times under high-stress situations, becoming a cause for concern as he got older, though psychologist appointments deemed fruitless as he played things off as though he were fine. But he wasn't a bad kid, he maintained normal grades, stayed close to his family (though, he never really seemed to adapt to the 'Mom' and 'Dad' names, and referred to his parents as Elaine and Graham for as long as he could remember). Music was his passion, and it was what kept him in line above everything else. When he was eleven, just months shy of his twelfth birthday, he met another boy at a classical recital his music class was holding. A year or two older, taller, quieter, Julian was instantly drawn to him and eager to strike up conversation. The boy, Cody Griffin, was the only person seemingly laid-back at the entire affair, jokingly putting down the other, annoyingly sophisticated children. Cody had been there to play violin, but a casual, off-handed comment about preferring bass got Julian's attention. After that first chance meeting, they were inseparable, and just a short time later they joined Julian's other best friend, Alfie Laine, and formed a band-- if you'd call it that at the time. Three talented but amateur noisemakers, joined and held together by Alfie's lyrical abilities, Julian's enthusiasm, and Cody's willingness to go along with whatever. A few name changes later, and Soundwave was born. Fifteen was an age that held a lot for Julian, beginning with Soundwave's sudden climb up the ladder of fame. One victory at a battle of the bands competition, and they found themselves with a record deal and were in the the studio for their first album, Showbiz. Then came the influx of interviews, photoshoots, event invitations. Being forced into the spotlight was a shock to the system for a country boy, but it didn't take him long to adapt, and it became clear: Julian was meant for the big city, celebrity life. Already a wild child at heart, his new-found exposure to the world of rock and roll led to the world of alcohol and drugs, which opened a whole new can of worms. It was all downhill from there. Fifteen years old, and Julian had lost his virginity, to none other than Alfie's sister, Aubrey Laine. She was older, gorgeous, and most importantly, she wanted him, even just for one night when they'd both had too much to drink. But it wasn't love, and he had no real idea what love was until he met Lily. She was his first real taste of what it felt like to need someone entirely. And somehow, with all odds against him, he managed to make it work. For three years, through countless breakups and make-ups, hating and loving each other, Julian's entire life was Lily. People thought they were too young, but if he was ever destined to marry anyone, it would have been her. Their breakup when he was eighteen, after an act of deceit on Lily's part, was his first heartbreak, another of the many firsts he seemed to experience with a bang. Never one to cope with things in a healthy manner, he replaced hurt with anger, and has since tried to convince himself he hated her. Present day, and his life is still in a whirlwind. Nineteen and already in one of the biggest bands to hit Australia, not to mention just starting to make it big in the United States, Soundwave has come a long way. Four albums, a song on Rockband and Guitar Hero, and a spot performing for the VMA's, what more could you ask for? To make matters more overwhelming, he put his songwriting abilities and powerful voice to use, taking a step away from the drums and starting his own self-fronted side project, StopSlowGo. With Soundwave's success, an album of his own out, and a StopSlowGo tour in his near future, Julian's life is as fast-paced as ever. Which is exactly how he likes it. Credits: Soundwave (drums) StopSlowGo (vocals) |