How Matt Goss Detroyed BROS With His Selfishness And Ego.

Editor Katie Watkin's 21/4/22

If you are of a nervous disposition or are/were a Brosette, perhaps it would be best not to read any further, I wouldn’t want anyone fainting! Bros were one of global phenomenon’s of popular music that came, conquered and then went. 

Their time with us was brief (1987-1991) but immensely successful. Could they of survived and still be knocking out hits 30+ years on, the answer is yes if Matt Goss would of allowed more input by his brother Luke and if he would dropped the self centred egotastic behaviour.

In the space of four years , Bros achieved eleven UK top 40 hit singles with 8 of those being top ten and sold over 17 million albums to date and had the biggest  debut album in history of CBS Records.

The band acheived global fame with many thousands of fans.

The Bros story starts in 1986 with twins Matt and Luke Goss (born September 1968) and Craig Logan (born April 1969) who all attended Collingwood School in Camberley, England.

After playing some gigs around school, they won a record contract with CBS and came under the direction of Tom Watkins, who had already helped The Pet Shop Boys to stardom. 

They released their debut single “I Owe You Nothing” in September 1987, but this could only manage to chart at No.87 on the UK charts.

 It was their second, and perhaps aptly titled single, “When Will I Be Famous?” that would propel them to fame and fortune.

 Released in December 1987, the song would make it to number 2 on the UK official Chart and Number 1 in Ireland as well top ten in fifteen other countries from Europe to Australia and the Far East and sold over 3 Million copies.

Their follow up single “Drop The Boy”, was released at beginning of March 1988 which pretty much duplicated the success of “Famous” by reaching the top ten across the globe including hitting the number 1 spot the Irish singles chart and making No.2 in the UK. and being certfied silver and selling over 2.5 Million worldwide.

The boys quickly followed this up with the release of their debut album “Push” at the end of the month, which would follow the singles into the charts at a global level.

 At the album launch at HMV Oxford Street, London, police struggled to contain the 130,000 fans who turned up to meet and get a signed copy of the album! 

Brosmania was born and the Brosette was the label carried by one and all.

 “Push” topped the album chart in Ireland and New Zealand and peaked at No.2 in the UK, where it  sold over 1.4 million copies and became the fourth biggest seller of the year.

To date “Push” has sold over 12 million copies worldwide.

Bros followed up the success in June with a re-release of their first single “I Owe You Nothing” which would prove to be the most successful chart hit. 

The song would make the top ten in fourteen countries and top the UK singles chart and sold 2 Million copies worldwide.

September saw the release of “I Quit” (perhaps an ironic song in light of what was to happen). The single entered and peaked at No.4 in the UK. 

That Christmas, Bros sealed their year in music with a double A side release of “Cat Among The Pigeons” and “Silent Night” which entered the UK chart at No.2 giving them five consecutive top five singles within the space of twelve months! 

The song also peaked at No.4 in Ireland and No.15 in Australia.

Craig announced his departure from the band at the beginning of the year (89), citing ill health (it would later transpire he was suffering from ME) and the stress of fame and stardom as his reasons. Matt and Luke made the decision to continue as a duo and began writing for their second album.

Luke also was feeling the pressure of fame and being pushed out and not being able to have some creative control. 

Matt did not help in anyway in reassuring Luke but was only concerned with his own fame rather than that of BROS or his own brothers emotiional well being..

Bros would make a triumphant return to the UK charts in July of 89 with the song “Too Much”, which would go straight into the UK top 40 at No.2 and again top the Irish singles chart, their third No.1 being certfied silver and selling 1 million copies in 5 weeks amd selling over 2 million worldwide.

The song would also chart high in Australia and New Zealand, two countries that had given consistent support to the group from the very beginning.

Prior to the release of the second album, Matt and Luke would release “Chocolate Box” in September 1989, that would chart at No.9 in the UK and No.2 in Ireland. Sadly by now, much of the groups support and following in Europe was dwindling, with “Too Much” charting low in France, Germany and Switzerland, and “Chocolate Box” only charting in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Fan's it seems were getting tired of Matt's ego and noticed that Luke was being shunned from the lime light and it also seemed that Luke was also becoming more and more frustarted with how the band was being managed.

The album “The Time” was released on October 16th 1989 and made No.4 in the UK, where it was certified Gold for sales of over 200,000 copies, No.7 in Japan and reached the top 20 in Italy and Spain. 

The third single “Sister” was released at Christmas 1989 and made No.10 in the UK (their eighth consecutive top ten hit) and No.5 in Ireland. A fourth single “Madly In Love” was released in March 1990 reaching No.14 in the UK and No.7 in Ireland. 

"The Time" went on to sell over 4 Million copies worldwide which was a third less than "Push" but still not many bands can shift that amount of albums.

Tension between the brothers was building with Matt continually trying to hog the lime light and pushing Luke out. 

The brothers took some time apart with Luke spending time with Shirley Lewis and Matt wanting to do solo work but  no record label would sign him.

The brothers returned in late 1991 with their third and best album to date

 “Changing Faces” which was preceded by the single “Are You Mine?”. The single reached No.12 in the UK and No.6 in Ireland and briefly made an appearence on the charts in Sweden and Belgium.

" Changing Faces" would peak at No.18 in the UK and sold  50,000 copies but fail to do anything else where. 

A further single “Try” would reach No.27 in the UK and No.39 in Belgium. 

Bros were done, Matt wanted a solo career and Luke wanted time away from Matt, 

Matt Goss was one of the main reason Bros came to end because Matt had no time for Luke, Matt craved fame nothing more, whilst his brother Luke had to fight to even be noticed.

Luke was treated so unfairly and was never really given any credit for his contribution to the success of Bros.

I could not imagine what Luke must of been a going through but what more upsetting is that Matt but his own selfish egotastic needs before that of his brother and that of the band.

Since the band disbanded Luke Goss has gone on to have successful movie career, Craig Logan has successful Management career whilst Matt struggled to have any commercial success as a solo artist and and spent 10 years singing in small cabaret rooms on the vegas strip.