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, the band bought a van and embarked on their first tour of the US, lasting 32 days and covering 12,000 miles.rnAfter returning from tour, American Steel went into the studio with engineer Kevin Army (Operation Ivy, Green Day, The Mr. T Experience, etc.) to record their eponymous first album, released on San Francisco's New Disorder Records, home of Half Empty, The Cost, The Enemies, and many others. In 1998, the band appeared on several compilations and toured the country twice, re-visiting some cities from previous tours and playing numerous new ones.rnIn the spring of 1999, American Steel signed to Lookout! and again went into the studio with Kevin Army to record Rogue's March, released in October 1999. The recording process was intermittent, due to guitarist Ryan's initial diagnosis and early battle with leukemia. 2000 saw the band tour in both the U.S. and Canada, including appearances at South by Southwest and CMJ. Rogue's March became an underground favorite, topping many fanzine's lists of "Best Record of the Year."[citation needed] They also received a nomination for "Best Punk Album," along with Rancid, Green Day, No Doubt & Blink 182 in the California Music Awards 2001.rnWhile clearly influenced by the early East Bay sound, American Steel's song structures often owe more to the much older sounds of traditional Motown, folk, and rock than to punk or hardcore.[citation needed] This combination of traditional music and punk rock makes up 2001's Jagged Thoughts.rnAmerican Steel changed their name and sound in 2002, becoming Communiqué.rnThe band reunited in 2007, and has signed to Fat Wreck Chords. They released a new album entitled Destroy Their Future on October 2nd, 2007. They toured with Alkaline Trio in the summer of 2008.