Steel Mill

Lore & Background

After returning from California, Vinnie Roslin left the band and was replaced by Steve Van Zandt. Steel Mill continued to play on the Jersey Shore and in Richmond. In August 1970, they added Robbin Thompson as lead vocalist, making his debut at the 3rd Annual Nashville Music Festival. The band's final show was on January 23, 1971, at The Upstage in Asbury Park. Following Steel Mill's dissolution, Springsteen, Lopez, Federici, and Van Zandt played together in several short-lived bands that eventually evolved into the E Street Band.

Reader's Guide

Steel Mill is significant as a formative band in Bruce Springsteen's career, serving as a direct precursor to the E Street Band. The group featured three musicians—Vini Lopez, Danny Federici, and Steve Van Zandt—who would later become core members of the E Street Band. Steel Mill's performances in California and at a Nashville festival helped expand Springsteen's exposure beyond the Jersey Shore. The band's rejection of a recording contract with Bill Graham's Fillmore Records is a notable early decision. Since 2004, Vini Lopez has led Steel Mill Retro, a band that performs and records original Springsteen songs from the Steel Mill era, keeping the legacy alive. The band's history is documented through recordings and performances, including an album released in 2007 titled 'The Dead Sea Chronicles.'

Did You Know?

• Steel Mill opened for Black Sabbath at the Sunshine Inn in Asbury Park, New Jersey on November 27, 1970.
• The band recorded three songs for Bill Graham at Pacific Recording Studio in San Mateo, California in February 1970.
• Danny Federici earned the nickname 'Phantom' after allegedly dropping sound equipment on police during a show at the Clearwater Swim Club.
• Steel Mill played on the night of the Apollo 11 moon landing, July 20, 1969, while still called Child.