American rock band formed in York, Pennsylvania in 1988 (originally as Public Affection). Lineup: Ed Kowalczyk (vocals/guitar, 1988-2009, 2016-present), Chad Taylor (guitar), Patrick Dahlheimer (bass), and Chad Gracey (drums). Foundational to the post-grunge era of mainstream American rock.
Nine studio albums starting with Mental Jewelry (1991). Commercial peak: Throwing Copper (1994), which sold over 8 million copies in the US on the strength of "Selling the Drama," "I Alone," and "Lightning Crashes." Kowalczyk departed in 2009 and rejoined in 2016 after extensive legal disputes with the band over rights.
