Not many bands can say they’ve been around for 30 years, but St. Louis-based Story of the Year can. In our second episode of the AltWire Podcast, we speak with lead guitarist Ryan Phillips about the band’s remarkable three-decade journey and their musical inspiration. Ryan’s story of picking up a guitar at an early age and his experience in making it in the music industry is not to be missed.
In addition to learning about Story of the Year’s roots, Ryan also speaks about the high points — global recognition and a 2004 tour with Linkin Park — and even some low points, including an incident where Godsmack’s road crew and Story of the Year got into it (here’s a recap), and how Covid changed the band’s plans.
We also take some time to discuss their sixth studio album Tear Me to Pieces, and how their return to basics approach helped them create one of their best records yet. Finally, Ryan has a message for Story of the Year fans and hints at a pretty big tour soon.
- 00:00 Introduction
- 00:49 Interview with Ryan Phillips Begins
- 00:57 Reflecting on the Band’s Journey
- 02:15 Early Days and Musical Inspirations
- 03:54 Formative Years and Band Evolution
- 04:41 Working with John Feldman
- 06:29 Experiencing Global Recognition
- 08:31 Touring with Linkin Park
- 12:03 Backstage Fight Incident
- 14:11 Participation in ‘When We Were Young’ Festival
- 17:26 Impact of Covid on the Band and New Album
- 21:09 Kickstarter Backed Movie Project
- 24:41 New Album ‘Tear Me To Pieces’ Insights
- 29:29 Future Plans and Message to Fans
- 30:42 Conclusion
