Then as a teenager he taught himself the drums and began playing with Buzzy Lubinsky, a drummer/DJ based in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
The club had subsequently played a central role in the history of both Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.
[7] In February 1969 Springsteen and Lopez got together with Danny Federici and Vinnie Roslin at The Upstage and formed a new band.
Most of these bands included a core membership of Danny Federici, David Sancious, Garry Tallent, Steve Van Zandt and Southside Johnny.
Together with Danny Federici, Garry Tallent, Clarence Clemons and David Sancious, Lopez was a founding member of what eventually became the E Street Band.
On September 8, 1974 at The Stone Pony, following a set by the Blackberry Booze Band, Springsteen accompanied by Lopez and Garry Tallent joined Southside Johnny for several songs, including a rendition of "Twist and Shout".
[18] On July 21, 2003, at the Giants Stadium, during The Rising Tour, Lopez also made a guest appearance, playing on "Spirit in the Night".
[19] Another guest performance with the E Street band was on October 20, 2009, where he backed Springsteen at the Wachovia Spectrum in Philadelphia during "Spirit in the Night".
On September 19, 2012, Lopez made a guest appearance during Springsteen's first concert at the new MetLife Stadium, playing on "The E Street Shuffle".
In 1974 Lopez, Larson and DeSarno, together with John Luraschi (bass), had played together in Cold Blast and Steel.
Together with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Cold Blast and Steel became one of the top two performing bands in New Jersey.
In 1977 Lopez briefly moved to Maine where he reunited with Bill Chinnock and played on the latter's Badlands album.
They later played larger venues throughout the Eastern Seaboard and their opening acts included The Smithereens and Jon Bon Jovi and The Wild Ones.
Lord Gunner had several opportunities to be signed, but another unfortunate incident involving Lopez and a manager ended one of its best chances.
After self-financing and self-promoting a showcase at a club for several A&R representatives, Larson and Lopez discovered that, without consulting them, their manager had also booked an opening band, with the intention of trying to get them signed.
Larson played a few songs, then calmly approached the microphone to ask all of the A&R reps to get up out of the first few rows and let the band's friends and fans sit down in their places.
[29] By 2004, this band had developed into Steel Mill Retro, led by Lopez, and also featuring Ricky DeSarno.
The band has performed and recorded original Springsteen songs from the Steel Mill era, as well as serve as mentor to emerging artists such as The Ries Brothers.
The lineup currently includes Lopez on drums, John Galella on guitar, Ed Piersanti on bass, Steve Lusardi on B3 and Adam Glenn on keys.