DJ Chicago dies at age 80; psytrance pioneer

DJ Chicago dies at age 80; psytrance pioneer was reported to have died on May 30. His death was confirmed by his son on social media, and he died in Bangkok after a stroke, sepsis, and a heart attack. He was regarded as an important figure within the global psytrance community and performed at festivals Ozora, Boom, Full Moon, and Indian Spirit.

He grew up in Chicago, had his first contact with consciousness-expanding drugs in 1966, and in 1983 became part of the Goa and Psy movement. In 1999 he co-founded the act 1200 Micrograms with Raja Ram (Ronald Rothfield), Rikatam, and Bansi; their first album, titled 1200 Micrograms, contained tracks named after drugs such as Ayahuasca, DMT, Mescaline, LSD, Marijuana, Hashish, Ecstasy, Magic Mushrooms, and Salvia divinorum, and the project’s second album, Heroes of the Imagination, was dedicated to figures including Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Michael Faraday, Albert Einstein, Charles Babbage, Albert Hofmann, Francis Crick, James D. Watson, and Tim Berners-Lee.

DJ Chicago died on May 30 at age 80. He died in Bangkok after a stroke, sepsis, and a heart attack. His death was confirmed by his son on social media.

He grew up in Chicago and had his first contact with consciousness-expanding drugs in 1966. In 1983, he became part of the Goa and Psy movement. In 1999 he co-founded the act 1200 Micrograms with Raja Ram (Ronald Rothfield), Rikatam, and Bansi, and their first album was titled 1200 Micrograms. Tracks on that album were named after drugs such as Ayahuasca, DMT, Mescaline, LSD, Marijuana, Hashish, Ecstasy, Magic Mushrooms, and Salvia divinorum, and the record contains quotes from ethnobotanist Terence McKenna as well as samples from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Matrix.

The project’s second album, Heroes of the Imagination, was dedicated to figures including Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Michael Faraday, Albert Einstein, Charles Babbage, Albert Hofmann, Francis Crick, James D. Watson, and Tim Berners-Lee, and the act produced the track Acid for Nothing, a trance version of Dire Straits’ Money for Nothing. He was regarded as an important figure within the global psytrance community and performed at festivals Ozora, Boom, Full Moon, and Indian Spirit.

DJ Chicago became involved in the Goa and psytrance movements in 1983 and was active in that scene for decades. He co-founded the act 1200 Micrograms in 1999 alongside Raja Ram (Ronald Rothfield), Rikatam, and Bansi, and the group produced music that became closely associated with the psytrance genre. Performances by DJ Chicago took him to major festivals within the community, where he was regarded as an important figure and engaged audiences at events such as Ozora, Boom, Full Moon, and Indian Spirit. His presence in the scene was linked to both studio projects and live festival sets.

The first 1200 Micrograms album was titled 1200 Micrograms and presented a concept in which tracks were named after psychoactive substances, including Ayahuasca, DMT, Mescaline, LSD, Marijuana, Hashish, Ecstasy, Magic Mushrooms, and Salvia divinorum. That record incorporated spoken material and cultural references, including quotes from ethnobotanist Terence McKenna and audio samples from the films Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Matrix. The group’s thematic choices and use of samples marked the project’s aesthetic and connected it to broader discussions around consciousness and psychedelic culture.

1200 Micrograms’ second album, Heroes of the Imagination, was dedicated to a list of historical and scientific figures, naming Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Michael Faraday, Albert Einstein, Charles Babbage, Albert Hofmann, Francis Crick, James D. Watson, and Tim Berners-Lee. The act also released the track “Acid for Nothing,” which is a trance version of Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing.” These releases and collaborations defined parts of DJ Chicago’s musical legacy within the global psytrance community and contributed to the act’s recognition in the genre.

1200 Micrograms was founded in 1999 by DJ Chicago with Raja Ram (Ronald Rothfield), Rikatam, and Bansi. The group released two albums, the first titled 1200 Micrograms and the second titled Heroes of the Imagination. The project was part of DJ Chicago’s musical output following his involvement in the Goa and psytrance movements.

The first album presented a concept in which individual tracks were named after psychoactive substances, including Ayahuasca, DMT, Mescaline, LSD, Marijuana, Hashish, Ecstasy, Magic Mushrooms, and Salvia divinorum. That record contains quotes from ethnobotanist Terence McKenna and audio samples taken from the films Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Matrix. These thematic choices and sampled elements are documented components of the album’s composition.

Heroes of the Imagination is dedicated to a group of historical and scientific figures listed as Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Michael Faraday, Albert Einstein, Charles Babbage, Albert Hofmann, Francis Crick, James D. Watson, and Tim Berners-Lee. That album featured the track “Acid for Nothing.” “Acid for Nothing” is described as a trance version of Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing.” The credited dedications and the inclusion of “Acid for Nothing” are recorded features of the project’s second release.

DJ Chicago was regarded as a significant figure within the global psytrance community due to his influential role as a performer and contributor to the genre. His involvement in the Goa and psytrance scenes, starting in 1983, helped shape the community’s musical direction and cultural ethos. He co-founded the act 1200 Micrograms, which became well-known for its thematic music that explored consciousness and psychedelic experiences.

DJ Chicago performed at numerous major psytrance festivals around the world, leaving a lasting impression on attendees with his energetic sets and vibrant presence. Notable festivals where he performed include Ozora, Boom, Full Moon, and Indian Spirit. His ability to connect with audiences was highlighted by observers such as a Reddit user named indidgenous, who said, “I saw his mystical presence many times at Goa parties and last year at Ozora. … What a colorful energy always emanated from him, brilliant interaction with the crowd until the end.”

Through his performances and musical projects, DJ Chicago contributed to the growth and internationalization of the psytrance scene, becoming a respected and celebrated figure among peers and fans alike.

DJ Chicago died on May 30 at age 80 in Bangkok; his death, which followed a stroke, sepsis and a heart attack, was confirmed by his son on social media. He was regarded as an important figure within the global psytrance community and had been involved in the Goa and psytrance movements since 1983.

In 1999 he co-founded the act 1200 Micrograms with Raja Ram (Ronald Rothfield), Rikatam and Bansi, and the project’s releases — including an album whose tracks were named after psychoactive substances and a second record, Heroes of the Imagination, dedicated to historical and scientific figures — formed part of his recorded legacy.

He also performed at major festivals such as Ozora, Boom, Full Moon and Indian Spirit, and the act produced the track “Acid for Nothing,” a trance version of Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing.”