Happy 30th Birthday Will!! We love you!

the knockdown center 🏭
There are infinite motifs to describe you my friend but the one I was most drawn to and embodies the core of our friendship was the quintessential industrial loft, the type of place we spent so many evenings dancing into the wee hours in New York.
While I enjoyed electronic music prior to reuniting with you in NY, you truly were the one to immerse me in the world - whether it was listening in your apartment to your aux or at the shows that you would invite me to. I still remember the pure joy at the end of FKJ (one or the first show we went to) and skipping through the streets of Lower Manhattan.
We’ve always had a synergistic energy at shows, I think in part since it’s the place we are able to step out of our brains and just be with the music. It’s the greatest comfort, turning around and seeing you vibing at the same frequency. There are so many of these moments, but I think back to Lane 8 when “Just to Hear you Say” came on. I turned to you and knew it would be hitting you the exact same way, no words needed.
But it’s more than the actual show, its the long walks through industrial New York home reveling in the moment, night times drive spent blasting the music windows down, or the time eagerly planning the logistics for the next concert and festival.
Beyond just the joy of the music, that love that you helped cultivate turned into an amazing community of people. One of my favorite lines/advice of yours is “just follow the music”, and it couldn’t be truer.
Thanks for always being my dance buddy and Happy birthday my dear!

Love, Hannah

a disco ball 🪩
Will and I met each other and grew close just as I was coming out of the closet & coming into myself. Often, I didn’t feel at home in my body, and it felt like there was a gulf between who I wanted to be and who I thought that I could be. But when I spent time with Will during those years–making dinner in Greenpoint, watching the sunset across the East River, drinking vodka sodas in his living room, dancing in the fog–I felt like everything made sense–that perhaps I could become who I wanted to be, that perhaps I was already in the processing of becoming.
One of Will’s most distinctive traits is his capacity for, and commitment to, unconditional love and acceptance of those whom he cares for. What I find so beautiful about this trait isn’t just the intention behind it, or the relationships that blossom because of it, but also how empowering, healing, and illuminating it can be for those fortunate enough to know Will. When we went out dancing together, it felt like a million possibilities-—of who we could be, of how we could be–were hurtling around us, as ephemeral and complete and real as the lights refracting off of the disco ball overhead.
I’ve never met anyone like Will and I never will.

All of my love. xx Alex Ropes

a miller high life in wrapping paper 🍻
I can write you a dozen beautiful narratives about how will and I walked through hell and sunshine, I can tell you about him asking me if I was okay on molly while I said "I'm just gonna stare directly into the sun" on a lounge chair at 11pm on a Saturday. I can tell you about my bahn mi buddy, my deeply emotional friend crying about blondes while I cried about redheads with me while I slept on his porch under a sheepskin because i was homeless for 3 months. being a Video Jockey for him and Jonah when I was out of college and people asked "who's that weirdo" I can tell you about the most genuine heart and willingly helpful person I've ever met in my life - who didn't just listen to your problems but made them his. A soul who had a house I just inserted myself into and found myself welcomed as housemaid and interim chef.

Love, Sweaty

Will, You sophisticated, resplendent, sunbird. Meeting you and getting to experience music and life with you has been absolutely unrivaled and has created many wonderful core memories. I’m so lucky to call you a friend and hope very much to get to see you more now that we’re back in the States. There’s so much more music to see and so many more experiences to be had. I cannot wait to see and think and feel with you. The west is vast and we have to see it all.

Happy birthday, my dear, Cameron

the dancing in the moonlight record 📀
there is nothing in this silly little universe that I am more excited for than to become your wife, and share a dance to the

the two shoes flask 🥃
Nobody in my life lifts me up more than you do. You’re such a good buddy; I’m lucky to have someone like you in my corner. I hope I can be / am that for you. You’re my brother, and I love you. Never change. P.S. You’re old now, loser!

Love, Harrison

the ground squirrel 🐿️
William, you are a fierce advocate for all that is right. You protect and stand up for the most vulnerable groups, whether that be innocent little ground squirrels, sex workers, those with addiction, or anyone or anything else facing injustice. Your community is so lucky to have you.

Love, Paola

controller that appears to be a Pioneer DDJ-400 🎧
Will - in a parallel universe we are just now running off stage after our 2nd of 3 sold-out sets at the Brooklyn mirage (with Sweaty on the visuals) - and I can’t help but wonder what might have been if you hadn’t chosen to go watch Kobe at target center that one night …. In reality the time we’ve spent hunched over a little 2-channel mixer in empty rooms (and occasionally in full rooms 😊) are among my most precious memories and i wouldn't trade them even for a sold-out world tour
I was telling someone recently that New York was for several years after college my favorite city to visit, and that more recently that city has become LA. And it then occurred to me that it’s no coincidence…
It’s an incredible blessing to be in your life and to have you in mine — and to see you pouring yourself into the things and people you love, as only you can.

Love of love, Jonah

“Ew, a portapotty? What a disgusting thing to choose to memorize someone’s birthday with!” I’m sure that will run through some folks’ heads when they see this selection— but they’re wrong. First, this is not any old, disgusting portapotty, it is a Honey Bucket ™️, top of the line in outdoor sanitation products. And secondly, this Honey Bucket is a metaphor. This Johnny-on-the-spot lavatory represents William’s ability to bring humor and whimsy to even the foulest situations; to make a lasting joke out of what would otherwise be an out-of-site, out-of-mind amenity. The honey bucket also is a reminder of one of the best weekends of my life, the time I got to see Will and Theelz fall in love for the first time. Thankfully, I’m pretty sure that didn’t involve a honey bucket, BUT the recognizable symbol of that magical time at the gorge endures forever. This one is for my honey bucket homies.

Love, Michael

the noodle bowl 🍜
my first ever introduction to Will was at our weekend getaway with all newly meeting in person humans, which I guess could have been weird but felt entirely like home to me. ♡ Food is such a passion and when Will spent so much time and effort into making meals for us it was like looking directly at love being put on a plate. My heart is in my tummy and Chef Will has one million Michelin stars 🌟

Love, Lindz

two feet with a single sock 🧦
To my big brother, I’ve always admired how you fully embody how you want to exist in the world. You showed me that structures are just suggestions, and the rest is up to you no matter how big or small. Whether it’s only wearing one sock when Aunt Anne said no, disregarding a rubric to make something more personally impactful, or fighting against societal authority to stand up for something better. You’ve always been my example of how to carve out a life that lets me be me. Thanks for going first, for taking all the heat, and for continuing to include me in what’s most important to you. I don’t know who I would be without you. I can’t wait to witness all the magic that’s yet to come.

Love you always, Emma

the enneagram ⚙️
Dear sweet Will, When I look back on our friendship, one thing that stands out is how incredibly easy it’s been to feel connected to you. From when we first kicked it off à la trump protest, I’ve always felt such ease sharing about myself, processing this wild world we live in, and making sense of what we can do with our own little chunks of it. This can in part be attributed to our shared set of values and similar passion around them, but even more so I think it’s your unique ability to make people feel comfortable and understood around you. I imagine that everyone’s notes will in some way or other remark on how to be friends with you means to feel both loved and deeply seen. It’s a great feeling, and I feel incredibly grateful for it. The past few years we’ve seen each other less, sometimes only once or twice a year, but I can always trust that when I see you things will feel the same, and indeed they always do 💕

Happy happy birthday
Love, Antara