The ‘Free Love Freeway’ Beckons For David Brent

Twelve years since a camera crew last checked in on reality TV star and travelling salesman David Brent, a new documentary team have caught up with the one-time Wernham Hogg staffer to bring the story up to date with David Brent: Life On The Road. The David Bowie of corporate retail, Brent has undergone many reinventions: selling industrial amounts of paper, evangelising about the merits of carpet cleaner – and winning a pub quiz by having his mate throw some shoes over a building. But now he undergoes his greatest change of all…

Having released a heartfelt (if underperforming) cover of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes’ ‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’ over a decade ago, Brent has reformed his early band, Foregone Conclusion, and set out on tour, chasing the rock’n’roll lifestyle he’s always dreamed of. Supported by live dates at London’s Eventim Hammersmith Apollo, on 8 and 9 September, Life On The Road is due for release on 19 August via Caroline International. Collecting 15 Brent originals – among them fan favourites such as ‘Free Love Freeway’ and ‘Spaceman’ – the album also includes a host of songs recorded specifically for the film.

Ricky Gervais, co-creator of The Office, and writer, director and co-producer of David Brent: Life On The Road, says of the album, “they’re not terrible songs”, observing that “the tragedy comes from the fact that a 55-year-old tampon rep is singing rock songs about travelling across America picking up señoritas or trying to end racism in reggae songs while singing with a Jamaican accent”.

Pre-orders of the album include instant downloads of both ‘Free Love Freeway’ and lead single ‘Lady Gypsy’. Ex-Razorlight drummer and Life On The Road producer Andy Burrows notes that “they’re really good songs” that are also “hilarious”, adding that “combining the two is much, much harder” than it appears. But will Brent finally precipitate world peace? ‘Equality Street’ says… well, it won’t be a bed of roses…

Watch the video for ‘Lady Gypsy’ below, and click pre-order Life On The Road here:

Format: UK English