Former Bros star MATT GOSS on the best pint of Guinness he's ever had (2025)

50 shares

As a kid I loved sarsaparilla. It’s a Caribbean soft drink, like a mixture between Ribena and Dr Pepper. I grew up in Camberwell, Southeast London, and Luke [Matt’s twin brother and former bandmate] and I would go down to East Street Market as eight-year-olds with my grandad. There was an old man with a huge barrel of sarsaparilla that you could get hot or cold. I remember the stall next door sold Thunderbirds toys and our grandad would only let us get one if we were really good, but we always got a sarsaparilla. For Southeast Londoners, that drink is a religious experience.

I haven’t had a caffeinated drink for 17 years. When I wake up, I’ll have hot water, lemon, ginger and cayenne pepper oil, because it balances the body’s pH. It also has loads of health benefits. I am partial to a decaf latte, though. I go to this little chichi coffee shop down my road in Kensington, West London, but I’m not saying where because I don’t want it to get busy!

The first time I got drunk I was about 12 years old. It was with my grandad Harry, who was a gunner in the Second World War and a proper tough East End lad. We sat at home one day and he said I was allowed half a pint of beer. I drank it and I remember him looking at me and saying: ‘Which way’s the room spinning, son?’ It was so funny – we were both laughing our heads off. Looking back, I’m glad we had that moment together.

The most famous person I’ve ever shared a drink with is Frank Sinatra. It was at the Royal Albert Hall in 1992, when Liza Minnelli hosted a tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. I walked backstage and saw Sinatra drinking a Jack Daniel’s on the rocks. It was only a brief meeting, but he was every bit as cool as you’d imagine. He’s an absolute hero of mine.

On my first date with my partner Chantal [Brown], we had a bottle of Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon. Far Niente, in Napa Valley, is one of my favourite vineyards. I once went to meet the team and it’s a tiny little place. Chantal and I met at a 2011 event at The Dorchester in London, and afterwards we didn’t see each other for seven months because I was living in Las Vegas. When I eventually came back to London it was a few days before my birthday, so she showed up with balloons and cake and we shared a bottle of my favourite red.

My best-ever pint was a Guinness at Dockers in Dublin with the Edge from U2. It was the early 1990s and I was playing in Ireland. He kindly let me stay at his house for the weekend, which was very cool, since he’s obviously a guitar legend. He took me on a bar crawl of his favourite Dublin spots and we had a lovely night.

If I could share a drink with anyone, I’d pick Winston Churchill. He’s the best leader we’ve ever had. His quotes are inspiring but he was also a hilarious guy. I’m a proud Englishman and he was a great man.

When I raise a glass, I always give the same toast: ‘Have my back, behind my back.’ I think one of the most important things in life is to spend time with people who speak well of you. I’m a very loyal person – I’d say it’s my best quality.

At my funeral I’d like everyone to raise a G&T. My favourite is Monkey 47, so people can have that with a slice of grapefruit and a quality tonic.

Matt Goss’s charity single ‘Not Forgotten’, commemorating VE Day, is out on 25 April

Add your comment