Biography
Twin brothers Matt and Luke Goss lead the English group Bros, pronounced Bross, famed for its stylish fusion of dance-pop and contemporary R&B. The pair blended their admiration for soul figures such as Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway with wider inspirations drawn from the Police, Prince, and Frank Sinatra, driving the act to explosive late-’80s success through the hit singles “When Will I Be Famous,” “I Owe You Nothing,” and “Drop the Boy,” all of which propelled the 1988 debut album Push to number two on the U.K. albums chart. The Time reached number four in 1989, and Changing Faces entered the Top 20 in 1991 before the band disbanded. Decades later the siblings reconvened, issuing the 2017 single “Love Can Make You Fly” and the 2018 Bafta-winning documentary Bros: After the Screaming Stops.
Born in London in 1968, Matthew and Luke Goss began performing together during their teenage years. They launched Bros in 1986 alongside schoolmate and bassist Craig Logan. Working with producer Nicky Graham and Pet Shop Boys manager Tom Watkins, the trio introduced itself via the 1987 single “I Owe You Nothing,” then broke through with “When Will I Be Famous,” which rose to number two in the U.K. in early 1988. “Drop the Boy” also reached number two, setting the stage for the March 1988 arrival of Push. The album quickly earned gold certification and topped charts in 19 countries. Further singles appeared, among them a re-release of “I Owe You Nothing” that attained number one in the U.K.
A sold-out world tour followed, taking Bros to Japan, where Logan contracted a leg infection that forced his return to England and a six-month hospitalization. After recovering, he rejoined the group at the 1989 Brit Awards, where Bros received the Best Newcomer award. Later that year, however, Logan departed to pursue other musical projects, including songwriting for then-girlfriend Kim Appleby of Mel & Kim, and filed suit against the band’s management over unpaid royalties.
After the concert video Bros Push Live, recorded at the Hammersmith Apollo, and the video compilation Bros Push Over appeared, the Goss brothers returned with “Too Much,” which reached number two on the U.K. singles chart. They also headlined a one-off Wembley Stadium show broadcast on pay-per-view as Bros in 2 Summer. These milestones led to the October 1989 release of their second album, The Time, which peaked at number four on the U.K. official Albums Chart and spawned the singles “Chocolate Box,” “Madly in Love,” and “Sister.”
Despite their enormous success, Bros parted from manager Tom Watkins in early 1990, triggering a contract dispute that reached the courts. The band then joined Elton John’s management and signed with Warner Chappell, releasing Changing Faces in 1991. Both singles from the album, “Are You Mine” and “Try,” entered the U.K. Top 40, while the record itself reached number 18 on the U.K. albums chart. Disappointed by what they viewed as insufficient label promotion, the group disbanded in 1992.
Matt subsequently embarked on a solo career that yielded several U.K. Top 40 hits, including 1995’s “The Key,” 2003’s “I’m Coming with Ya,” and 2004’s “The Fly,” the last of which Paul Oakenfold later remixed into a trance chart success. Luke moved into acting, appearing in films such as Blade II, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and Traffik. Bros reunited in 2017 for two concerts at London’s O2 Arena and the release of “Love Can Make You Fly.” The members also featured in the documentary Bros: After the Screaming Stops, which collected awards including National Film Awards U.K. for Best Documentary and the BAFTA Award for Best Editing: Factual.
Born in London in 1968, Matthew and Luke Goss began performing together during their teenage years. They launched Bros in 1986 alongside schoolmate and bassist Craig Logan. Working with producer Nicky Graham and Pet Shop Boys manager Tom Watkins, the trio introduced itself via the 1987 single “I Owe You Nothing,” then broke through with “When Will I Be Famous,” which rose to number two in the U.K. in early 1988. “Drop the Boy” also reached number two, setting the stage for the March 1988 arrival of Push. The album quickly earned gold certification and topped charts in 19 countries. Further singles appeared, among them a re-release of “I Owe You Nothing” that attained number one in the U.K.
A sold-out world tour followed, taking Bros to Japan, where Logan contracted a leg infection that forced his return to England and a six-month hospitalization. After recovering, he rejoined the group at the 1989 Brit Awards, where Bros received the Best Newcomer award. Later that year, however, Logan departed to pursue other musical projects, including songwriting for then-girlfriend Kim Appleby of Mel & Kim, and filed suit against the band’s management over unpaid royalties.
After the concert video Bros Push Live, recorded at the Hammersmith Apollo, and the video compilation Bros Push Over appeared, the Goss brothers returned with “Too Much,” which reached number two on the U.K. singles chart. They also headlined a one-off Wembley Stadium show broadcast on pay-per-view as Bros in 2 Summer. These milestones led to the October 1989 release of their second album, The Time, which peaked at number four on the U.K. official Albums Chart and spawned the singles “Chocolate Box,” “Madly in Love,” and “Sister.”
Despite their enormous success, Bros parted from manager Tom Watkins in early 1990, triggering a contract dispute that reached the courts. The band then joined Elton John’s management and signed with Warner Chappell, releasing Changing Faces in 1991. Both singles from the album, “Are You Mine” and “Try,” entered the U.K. Top 40, while the record itself reached number 18 on the U.K. albums chart. Disappointed by what they viewed as insufficient label promotion, the group disbanded in 1992.
Matt subsequently embarked on a solo career that yielded several U.K. Top 40 hits, including 1995’s “The Key,” 2003’s “I’m Coming with Ya,” and 2004’s “The Fly,” the last of which Paul Oakenfold later remixed into a trance chart success. Luke moved into acting, appearing in films such as Blade II, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and Traffik. Bros reunited in 2017 for two concerts at London’s O2 Arena and the release of “Love Can Make You Fly.” The members also featured in the documentary Bros: After the Screaming Stops, which collected awards including National Film Awards U.K. for Best Documentary and the BAFTA Award for Best Editing: Factual.
Albums
