Founded in 1993 by two childhood friends, lead singer Emerson Hart and guitarist Jeff Russo, Tonic exploded onto the scene with a sensational debut album, 1996’s Lemon Parade including the hits “If You Could Only See,” “Open Up Your Eyes,” and “Casual Affair.”

With Dan Lavery enlisted on bass, the band issued their self-produced second disc Sugar in 1999, featuring the hit single “You Wanted More,” from the seminal teen flick American Pie.

2002’s Head On Straight, produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith), featured “Take Me As I Am,” “Count On Me,” and “Irish,” and earned two Grammy nominations, one for Best Rock Album and one for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for “Take Me As I Am.”

In 2005, the band members went their separate ways. Hart released his acclaimed solo debut, Cigarettes & Gasoline, Russo recorded with the Low Stars and scored TV series including “Crossing Jordan,” and “The Unusuals,” while Lavery recorded and toured with The Fray among others.

Tonic’s first new album in seven years is due out this fall and in anticipation the band has just released its first retrospective, A Casual Affair: The Best Of Tonic, revisiting their raw honesty and unabashed pop appeal, revved up with killer melodies and guitar heroics. The album features 12 hits from Tonic’s three albums, plus a trio of previously unreleased bonus tracks: a live version of “Irish,” an acoustic take on “You Wanted More,” and their live rendition of “Sugar.”