They opened for acts such as Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Grand Funk Railroad, Roy Orbison, Ike & Tina Turner, and Black Sabbath.
Springsteen formed Earth with fellow Ocean County College students, John Graham (bass) and Michael Burke (drums).
The club would subsequently play a central role in the history of both Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.
On February 14, 1969, Lopez, looking to recruit a guitarist for a new band, saw Springsteen play with Earth at the Italian American Mens Association Clubhouse in Long Branch, New Jersey.
[1] In early 1970 Steel Mill visited San Francisco and performed at The Matrix and Fillmore West, and played on the same bill as Elvin Bishop, Boz Scaggs and Grin.
Elwood was astonished by Steel Mill's performance, scribing, "I have never been so overwhelmed by a totally unknown talent.”[11] On February 22, the band recorded three songs, "Goin’ Back To Georgia", "The Train Song" and "He’s Guilty (Send That Boy To Jail)", at Pacific Recording Studio in San Mateo, California for Bill Graham.
On June 21, they played at the Clearwater Swim Club in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, where their opening act was Glory Road, a band whose line up included Garry Tallent and Bill Chinnock.
Headliners included Roy Orbison, Brian Hyland, Ronnie Milsap, Bobby Bloom, Ballin' Jack, Ten Wheel Drive and The Illusion.
Among the opening acts was a local folk singer, Jeannie Clark, whose backing band consisted of Steve Van Zandt, Garry Tallent and Southside Johnny.
Steel Mill kept playing after curfew, causing police officers to come to the stage to end the gig, cutting the power in the process.
The Institution was a seminal New Jersey garage band founded in 1965 by Philip Rubin, J. Howard Duff,[16] Richard Lester, and Marvin Coopersmith, whose members also included Joey Kramer, later of Aerosmith.
Lopez was a veteran of numerous Jersey Shore bands, several of which had featured Steel Mill songs in their set lists.
The band also performed early Springsteen songs in its setlist,[19] By 2002 Lopez was playing with Cold Blast and Steel which also included John Luraschi and Rick DeSarno.
[22] The current line-up of the band features Lopez, Steve Lusardi and Adam Glenn (keyboards), Ed Piersanti (bass) and John Galella (guitar).
Both Robbin Thompson and Vini Lopez, as part of Steel Mill Retro, have recorded songs originally performed by the band.