Searching for signs of after life via electronic voice phenomena

Nearly every Friday night, a team of self-described ghost hunters hits the cemetery and spookiest spots in Tracy to look for signs of life after death.

They call themselves Project Mayhem, and so far, they've haven't had a face-to-face meeting with anything that even resembles a quivering, howling ectoplasm or ghost — unless you consider the strange, soft whisperings of unseen people as evidence of contact with another world.

The work is called "electronic voice phenomena," or EVP, as portrayed in the 2005 movie "White Noise," and the people involved try to pick up communication by spirits through tape recorders and other electronic devices.

"We lost; we lost them all," one disembodied voice said recently — recorded on a tiny pocket-sized flash memory device during a foray into Tracy's cemetery.

"Lost what?" You might ask. "The big game? A series of big games?"

"We really don't understand what we record," 19-year-old Kevin Grigsby said.

He said the team, which includes Brad Corbet, 18; Ricky Hyppa, 18; and Cohen DeYoung, 18; are simply out to collect evidence and bring it back to a skeptical and scared world.

"Most people are too afraid to go out and do it themselves," Corbet admits.

So he's got himself a niche market. In a way, the teens are budding entrepreneurs, convinced that people are willing to pay to have "experts" spend a few hours in places where even the brave dare not go.

But mostly, it seems like the boys are having harmless fun. The police have warned them to be careful, they said, and they've found themselves explaining why they're hanging around abandoned hotels and cemeteries.

Once they explain themselves, the police generally chock it up to the lively imaginations of the young and, perhaps, slightly bored.

On the other hand, they might be onto something. Belief in EVP in the United States seems to have mushroomed with the popularity of things such as Art Bell's "Coast to Coast" radio program. The late-night show regularly hosts EVP-hunting guests, who play what they've recorded to a national audience that may be cowering beneath the covers. There's even a group called the American Association of Electronic Voice Phenomena, claiming members in 40 states.

But the members of Project Mayhem haven't heard of the program or the association. Their inspiration comes from the 1984 hit movie "Ghost Busters" or the more recent "White Noise," which stars Michael Keaton.

"Go away," "Hey" or "Yeah." These are some of the words and phrases the team members say they've recorded. Nothing spectacular and you have to listen really hard sometimes to hear anything at all. Often, what one hears is a matter of perception.

If they can make a living at it, it sure beats working at Burger King, where all the men are gainfully employed. Their parents, they say, think they have over-active imaginations.

But the work is addictive. One good, loud enunciated "Boo!" or a blood-curdling scream only keeps them wanting more.

Contact reporter Phil Hayworth at phayworth@tracypress.com.

First published: Tuesday, August 1, 2006

Reader Feedback

keith wrote on Aug 5, 2006 8:21 PM:

" in 1990 i was recording on my dictophone and picked up various insults and obsenities directed at me, i had four years of hell on earth trying to figure out where these voices were coming from and these were crystal clear and without any white noise, steer well clear is my advice,as they originate from peoples subconsious minds and have nothing to do with spirits or dead people. "

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Ghost-Hunter wrote on Aug 5, 2006 7:08 PM:

" Any good paranormal group would do this for free. I quote "people are willing to pay to have "experts" spend a few hours in places where even the brave dare not go" how can you call yourself an expert? I have heard this being used a lot, no-one can be an expert in this field. Saying expert means A person with a high degree of skill in or knowledge of a certain subject. Being in teens does not class you an expert even a paranormal researcher/investigator would not use expert, but might use professional. "

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Ignyte wrote on Aug 2, 2006 7:39 PM:

" I say go for it. I mean me personally would'nt do that because i have a fear of things i can't physical hurt. What am i gonna do if i messed with someone's eternal sleep? I can't attack them, but thats irrelevant. They should stay true if they really love it, not to mention they get paid for it. The American dream to get paid for what you love doing. "

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Roger wrote on Aug 1, 2006 3:52 PM:

" If you want to communicate with the dead, all you need to do is go to a city council meeting. Now there is a real sleeper, with Susan Hitchcock as Ann Cerney's mouth piece. "

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PaulaJ wrote on Aug 1, 2006 10:35 AM:

" Cont - It was so exciting! I have no idea who he was, but he definitely there. "

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PaulaJ wrote on Aug 1, 2006 10:34 AM:

" I say go for it! These kids are doing something interesting to them, that's not causing any harm. I did that in my mother's home when I was 16. A man answered all of my questions I asked him, and I only heard them once I actually listened to the tape. "

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