Kula Shaker
Kula Shaker's reformation has its origins in sessions for a charity album made with the New Braj Village School (a private school in Badger, California, for young people which includes as part of the curriculum teachings about Krishna and devotional music). The album "School of Braja" was recorded in 2004 and finally saw release in late 2006. Crispian Mills, who masterminded the album, arranged not only that the Jeevas play on two tracks, but he also got in touch with his old bandmate, Alonza Bevan. The two worked on a song together for the album, "Braj Mandala", to which Paul Winterhart added drums. Jay Darlington was asked to be part of the sessions, but declined the opportunity. At the time of the recording, this was announced on the official Jeevas website as Kula Shaker having reformed to contribute a song to the album and was referred to by Mills as a Kula Shaker reunion in subsequent interviews. Additionally, the "School of Braja" album credits officially state that Kula Shaker appear on the track "Braj Mandala". The sessions for the track went so well that Mills and Bevan began writing together again and making plans for a full-on Kula Shaker comeback that would encompass live touring and the further release of new material. A new band website was also commissioned.
Headswim
Headswim re-emerged in 1997 with their second album "Despite Yourself" which contained many cathartic songs about death and spirituality. The group’s music had also shifted from their earlier grunge influences to a more reflective alternative rock sound more akin to artists such as Radiohead and Jeff Buckley. The lead single "Tourniquet" reached the Top 30 in the UK and was a minor radio hit in the U.S. Soon after, the band supported Kula Shaker on a U.S. tour. However, sales of the album did not live up to expectations and Sony made the decision to drop them. Subsequently the band released only one further single, "Dusty Road", in 2000 on the independent record label Pet Sounds in the UK, before splitting up in early 2001.