American Steel was formed in 1995 in West Oakland. When offered their first show, the group took their name from the block-long sign on the warehouse across the street. After playing at parties and smaller venues around the Bay Area for over a year, and undergoing several lineup changes, which resulted in a more serious and tour-ready conglomerate, the band bought a van and embarked on their first tour of the US, lasting 32 days and covering 12,000 miles.