Shortly after leaving Agent Orange, Soto cofounded the Adolescents with vocalist Tony Reflex in 1980, which became his primary band for most of his career.

Side projects he played in since their second reformation included Steve Soto and the Twisted Hearts, Black Diamond Riders, and Punk Rock Karaoke.

In 1986, the original Adolescents line-up reunited to perform a concert at Fenders Ballroom in Long Beach, California.

In 2001, the blue album lineup of Adolescents reformed to perform at a birthday party for singer Tony Reflex's wife and over the next few years the band played sporadically.

Leftöver Crack's Brad Logan would replace Soto following his death with the band releasing their first album without him, Russian Spider Dump, on October 23, 2020.

When The Adolescents broke up in 1981, Soto, together with Frank Agnew, joined the Los Angeles-based band Legal Weapon, performing on bass guitar from 1981–1982.

In 1995 Soto started the punk rock supergroup 22 Jacks consisting of members of Wax, The Breeders, and Royal Crown Revue.

The band toured extensively and released three records, Uncle Bob(1997), Overserved (1999) and Going North (2001) on the SideOneDummy label.

In late 2009/ early 2010 Soto helped form the Black Diamond Riders; and band of Punk Rockers masterfully playing 60s Soul along with Jonny “2 Bags” Wickersham from Social Distortion, bassist Warren Renfro from Cadillac Tramps and Manic Hispanic, drummer Jamie Reidling from U.S.

Bombs and Die Hunns, saxophonist Vince Hizon, trumpet player Joseph Badaczewski and keyboardist Greg Kuehn from TSOL.

[4][5] Soto was part of a group known as Plan B alongside Nick Oliveri, Troy Van Leeuwen, and Joey Castillo.