來自密蘇里州圣路易市(St. Louis, Missouri)的Story of the Year，相信是現(xiàn)在其中一隊(duì)最勤力的樂隊(duì)，原名為Big Blue Monkey的他們，成立於97年，經(jīng)過多年努力以及多次隊(duì)員的變動(dòng)，雖然於圣路易經(jīng)常有演出的機(jī)會(huì)，但仍然未能受到廣泛注視．他們不斷地創(chuàng)作，不斷地演出，不斷印刷他們自己的 demo cd，直至偶然之下，其中一張 demo cd 於02 年落在樂隊(duì) Goldfinger 的吉他手 John Feldmann 手中，并轉(zhuǎn)交廠牌Maverick，F(xiàn)eldmann 亦請(qǐng)他們到南加州，跟 Goldfinger 一同演出，隊(duì)名亦改為現(xiàn)在的 Story of the Year，他們亦由當(dāng)時(shí)開始，展開了他們的旅程 by Johnny Loftus Story of the Year began as Big Blue Monkey in St. Louis, Missouri. At the time (the late 90s), the bands sound was much heavier (think Deftones), and the lineup that would become Story of the Year was not yet in place. Big Blue Monkey played frequently in and around St. Louis, issued a few EPs, and endured the lineup fluctuations typical to any struggling combo. Creative and persistent self-promotion caught the ear of producer John Feldmann, who in turn brought Maverick Records into the picture. By 2002, Big Blue Monkey had become Story of the Year, moved to Southern California, and toured with Feldmann and Goldfinger. The lineup of vocalist Dan Marsala, guitarists Ryan Phillips and Phillip Sneed, bassist Adam Russell, and drummer Joshua Willis entered the studio with Feldmann, emerging in spring 2003 with the full-length Page Avenue. Story did some Warped Tour dates that summer, and issued the record the following September. By this point the Story sound had morphed completely and comfortably into emo-inflected post-grunge, akin to groups like Thrice or the similarly Feldmann-shepherded Used. The CD+DVD set Live in the Lou/Bassassins followed in spring 2005; it was a precursor to In the Wake of Determination, which appeared in October.