Old Souls

Old Souls: The Scientific Search for Proof of Past Lives is a non-fiction book by journalist Tom Shroder. An editor at The Washington Post, Shroder traveled extensively with psychiatrist Ian Stevenson of the University of Virginia, who conducted past life and reincarnation research in Lebanon, India and the American South. Shroder's journalistic experience makes this book a valuable review of an often disparaged subject.

Stevenson's informants were 3000 children spontaneously remembering recent ordinary lives, as opposed to adults remembering under hypnosis romantic or heroic lives in the distant past. In addition, birthmarks that occur at the sites of injury in the previous life constitute an important part of Stevenson's evidence.

Stevenson's methodology involved listening to stories, comparing and contrasting variants of stories, verification or falsification of empirical claims, and constructing long, detailed narratives that attempt to "capture" the complex experience of his informants, who claim to remember incidents from past lives. In this sense Stevenson's work is similar to that of ethnographers and cultural anthropologists.

Old Souls (band)

The Old Souls are an American rock band.

The band formed in 2003, with guitarist Vincent Silva, bassist Damiano Gatto, drummer Mikey Samora, and vocalists Kai Knight and Lani DeSoto.

Kai Knight left the band in December 2006, and Lani DeSoto left in January 2007. Nevertheless, the band continued to perform.

Band history

Formation

In December 2003, guitarist Vincent Silva and drummer Mikey Samora, looked to start a band. Scott Rodarte, (member of another L.A. local band, Ollin) who was their instructor, called up bassist Damiano Gatto (another of his students) and asked If he would play in a band. Damian said yes and he started to play with Silva and Samora. When no one was always able to sing the vocals to songs, he asked Kai Knight, and Lani DeSoto to join. Kai Knight and Lani DeSoto were vocal students of Scott's. Soon, the three boys and two singers were performing together, collectively known as the Old Souls.

Shortly after forming and practicing for a month or so, they gave their first public performance at the Yosemite Recreation Center in Eagle Rock.

Old Souls (album)

Old Souls is the third album from English band Deaf Havana. It was released on 16 September 2013 and marked another shift in direction from previous album Fools and Worthless Liars as they head to a more chorus-driven classic rock style of music. With singles "Boston Square" and "Mildred (Lost a Friend)" receiving international support from BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe's Hottest Record in the World along with interviews on the show with frontman James and new-comer Matthew Veck-Gilodi, as well as touring with artists such as Bruce Springsteen and Muse, the band have raised the profile of the album and seen a significant rise in their publicity and popularity since their last album release. They toured the album starting October 2013, where they were supported by ex-Busted singer-songwriter Charlie Simpson and Big Sixes. The album was released in the US on 21 January 2014.

Background

After the release of the previous album Fools and Worthless Liars in 2011, the band rose to national attention; the album went to number 1 on the UK Rock Chart. The band played the Main Stages at the Reading and Leeds Festivals for the first time in 2012 and they supported You Me at Six for their Final Night of Sin at Wembley Arena. The band decided to yet again change the sound of their record from the pop-punk/alternative rock sound of their previous release. This change saw the addition to the line-up of frontman James Veck-Gilodi's brother Matthew (who had previously been performing with the band as a touring member) to play guitar and add additional vocals, and Max Britton as a pianist for the group, making the group a six-piece. Deaf Havana began composing new material to be featured on their third album in October 2012. On 25 January 2013, the band announced that the writing process was complete and that they would enter the studio a week later.