DJ Goa Gil* – Techno Spiritual Trance

It is with great sadness and much gratitude that I share the passing of Goa Gil. He passed on 26 October. Gil was a friend of mine who I met at an underground Trance party in San Francisco in May of 1992. The party was produced by Mr Floppy and was called Ultraviolet. I was stunned when I first heard the music he was playing. It was unlike any dance music I had ever heard before. I went up to him at the DJ table and asked him what kind of music was this. He smiled and said "Goa Trance". I asked him if he wanted to spin my after party the next morning at 6am at the DNA Lounge and he said 'Sure". 3 months later [still in 1992} I invited him to spin at a gathering we had been invited to in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. It was called Burning Man. We were the first sound camp at Burning Man and Gil was the First DJ to spin at Burning Man. They had us set up one mile outside of camp and most of the burners did not want us there to disturb the Peace. The main camp boycotted what they called "The Rave" and only about 10 people showed up to dance to the music. There is a youtube video titled: 1992 Burning man with Goa Gil, Ariane, Brad, friends and family if you want to see some footage of that experience. Gil went on to spin many times out at Burning Man through the past decades.. 14 months after that in October of 1993 I was in Anjuna Beach as a guest of Goa Gil and his wife Ariane. Spent 4 months there on that trip....a trip that changed my life. To this day I am a serious collector of Classic Goa Trance and I have Goa Gil to thank for it. So today I am in shock to hear that he passed. I saw him a month ago at his house and spent a few hours just hanging out. He showed me a live temple feed from a temple in India where a ceremony was going on.. He knew the people there. Gil had one foot in America and one foot in India at all times. Through the past couple of years I was able to see Gil at his house a few times and thank him for his inspiration and influence on my life. Hardly a day goes by that I don't listen to Goa Trance. Babaji aka Goa Gil aka Gilbert Levey changed my life and I will be forever grateful that we met. Dance in Peace Babaji. May Peace be with you. Say hi to Olli Wisdom for me if you get the chance. Om Shanti!