LIKE the legendary rockers he grew up idolising and who are now his peers, Ed Sheeran has always enjoyed a boozy tipple.

But he no longer wants to maintain his reputation as a renowned caner and is taking a much more measured approach to his drinking.

These days, the Bloodstream singer, 32, is a family man married to childhood sweetheart Cherry Seaborn, 30, with whom he shares daughters Lyra, two, and Jupiter, 10 months.

He has also experienced immense grief in recent years, losing close friends such as Brit entrepreneur Jamal Edwards and Australian music executive Michael Gudinski.

These sobering opposites – birth and death – have had a profound impact on the musician.

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, he explains the moment he decided to turn his back on hard liquor for the good of his family.

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He explained: “Two months before Lyra was born, Cherry said, ‘If my waters break, do you really want someone else to drive me to the hospital?'

“Because I was just drinking a lot. And that’s when it clicked. I was like, ‘No, actually, I really don’t.’ And I don’t ever want to be pissed holding my kid. Ever, ever. Having a couple of beers is one thing. But having a bottle of vodka is another thing. It’s just a realisation of, ‘I’m getting into my thirties. Grow up! You’ve partied, you’ve had this experience. Be happy with that and just be done.’

"I love red wine, and I love beer. I don’t know any old rockers that aren’t alcoholics or sober, and I didn’t want to be either.”

It's not only spirits that Ed has shunned, but drugs too.

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Out of respect for his best friend Jamal, who suffered a heart attack at home after taking cocaine, Ed has vowed never to do drugs again.

He said: “I was always a drinker. I didn’t touch any sort of like, drug, until I was 24.

“I remember just being at a festival and being like, ‘Well, if all of my friends do it, it can’t be that bad. And then sort of dabbling. And then it just turns into a habit that you do once a week and then once a day and then, like, twice a day and then, like, without booze. It just became bad vibes.”

Ed has poured his heart and soul into upcoming record Subtract, the final instalment of his mathematical album series.

His most personal album to date could also be his most critically successful after Ed decided to work with The National's Aaron Dessner.

The indie icon has helped turn some of his darkest moments into accessible songs that will be released in May.

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