Jonas Berggren >>>

The Pinball Wizard

With his 190cm (6'3") and 93kg (205 lb.),he is the big brother, in more than one way. Being the oldest gave him the job as protector for his 2 younger sisters. They had a SOS-call (JO-MA-JE, which are the first 2 letters of all 3 names) so they would all show up in case one of them was in trouble.

His interest in music started at age 10 when his dad showed him how to play guitar.

He only had one problem in school - the other kids made fun of his harelip (cleft palate). However, he didn't care that much because he knew he wasn't perfect. He thinks that being imperfect and realizing it paved the way for success in school, college and with music. His favorite subjects in school were physical education and history.

In college he favored economics and sociology. Those college subjects are still his big hobby. He never finished college, dropping out after three years to concentrate on his music.

His first "girlfriend" came around when he was 8 years old. Her name was Annika and she was blond. They both were so shy that they didn't even hold hands. It didn't last long :-) His first real girlfriend came from Finland and her name is Sari. Until last year he was engaged to a nice girl named Pernilla. Pernilla and Jonas had already met each other when they fell in love at a party in 1991. They first met in a holiday camp, when Jonas was 18 and Pernilla 14!!.

To the question "What would make life perfect?" he answered: "Something to stop my hair loss!"

What his mom said:

Jonas was born on an early morning in March, just before Easter. He was fresh and strong, but he had a defect, a cleft palate. That means that he was open between the close and mouth in one side, couldn't suck milk, and had to be fed. He appeared to be very well; he was happy, kind and confident, and handled 3 operations well within his first year. He was the firstborn child and grandchild, so he got lots of love and attention.

Long before he started speaking, he could sing. He learned a song by only hearing it once in a TV program for kids. He especially liked the Swedish happy birthday song "Ja, må han leva" yes, may he live.., that we sang for him on his birthday, which he marched to, and a song written by Bellman unknown to me too called "på Arendorfs tid" (in Arendorf's Time). It was the first he sang with text and all. At the time he learned to talk, he started making lyrics to the melodies he knew. Songs about the cat, the moon, the family, and stuff that happened through the day.

Jonas really liked when his dad played guitar, but cried when he played the trumpet (maybe it made to much sound). Mom and both grandmas helped him by singing songs for him, and he really liked it. He also wanted them to play the piano.

Very soon, he started to sit and listen to Bach with headphones. His eyes looked happy, and he sometimes laughed like if he were reading a funny book. He often jumped up and danced around as much as the restrictions of the wire would allow him. He also started singing to Bach intricated music.

One day he asked how many melodies he could hear in his head at the same time. He himself often heard up to 3 different voices. It caused a lot a trouble for him in school. When the other kids were singing simple songs, he often sang the second song he heard inside his head. The teacher didn't know where he was getting it from or how he did it, but it ended well and he finished school with top grades in music. He wanted to play guitar in school, but they made him play mandolin. He hated it and didn't play for long. Instead, his daddy showed him how to play it and his granny and mom taught him how to play the piano. But he mostly played in his own style and changed the songs.

Jonas loved playing both in- and outdoors. He had a big imagination and forgot all about time, place, food, and clothes when he was playing. He had a lot of true friends around him, they also became his classmates. One of them, also named Jonas, was on vacation with him at "bohuslän" (a place north to GBG)

We never asked him to take care of his sisters, we looked at that as our own responsibility, but he was always very nice to them. He cared about them and defended them when ever it was needed; at the playground and in school. He also defended his friends; the only fight he was in during his childhood was because his pal Mats was beaten by a bigger guy. Jonas was very strong and only had to hit the guy once.

People that weren't honest and reliable didn't have a chance with Jonas, but he always helped people in trouble. He helped poor people and people who never had a chance to show what they really could do. Jonas is still giving people a chance to show who they really are.

Running and basketball were Jonas' favorite sports, but he hated it when it became too much competition and too little "just for fun". He still plays sports, mostly at The University of Gothenburg.

Jonas has a lot of family pride. He is just now building a studio in his great-great-grandfathers old barn. His great-great-grandfather's name was also Jonas Berggren and he was a Corporal.

Jonas is engaged to Pernilla, who we all like very much. They have known each other since Jonas was godfather at the cathedral where Pernilla was having her confirmation. They have a lot of common interests.

The cathedral where they met has meant a lot to Jonas in his creation of music and video-ideas. That's where he can go to relax and think creative thoughts. He supports the church's youth-activity with money to more people can have the same creative experiences as him. Jonas has done a little church singing together with the rest of the family. If you listen to the beginning of "Happy Nation" it's easy to tell that it's done like an old Latin hymn of thanksgiving.

Jonas is swimming in songs and so he gives some of them to other artists. Next to his work with AOB he has started another project (Yaki-Da). Jonas has made both lyrics and music for their two songs, and he has even produced them.

After trying both technical and financial studies without big interest, he finally thinks he picked right. He is studying political-sciences in his spare time, and letting music fill out the rest of the time.