Ricky Gervais doesn’t want the soundtrack from his film ‘David Brent: Life On The Road’ to be a hit because it wouldn’t make sense for the character..
The 55-year-old actor has resurrected his most famous comedy creation – who started out life in the sitcom in ‘The Office’ – for the ‘mockumentary’ movie which sees Brent try and make it in the music business with his band Foregone Conclusion.
The songs featured in the film – which were recorded with Coldplay’s Chris Martin and former Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows, who plays Foregone Conclusion’s sticksman in the movie – have had a positive response so far and the soundtrack album is being tipped to be a success when it’s released.
However, Gervais hopes for the sake of his comedy the LP doesn’t become a number one record because Brent would never become a pop star in real life.
Speaking to BANG Showbiz at the ‘Life On The Road’ world premiere in London on Wednesday night (10.08.16), he said: "If it did get to number one it wouldn’t ruin it, I want it to do as well as it can, but I want everyone to know it’s a David Brent album. This isn’t me trying to make the charts but I hope people like it."
He added with a laugh: "I’m not a real pop star, this is the only album I’m going to do. I’m not worried about a second album."
Gervais – who was accompanied at the premiere by his long-term partner Jane Fallon – spoke to his late friend David Bowie about the movie and the music as the rock legend was desperate to hear a full album of Brent’s songs.
The funnyman allowed Bowie to hear a demo of the track ‘Slough’ before he tragically passed away in January but at no point did he consider casting the ‘Heroes’ singer – who starred in one episode of the comedian’s TV show ‘Extras’ – in the movie because it wouldn’t fit in with Brent’s struggle for success.
When asked if he had ever considered giving Bowie a cameo, Gervais said: "No, it wouldn’t make sense. I did let him hear ‘Slough’ on demo and he liked it but it wouldn’t be right. It’s not like ‘Extras’ where it made sense. In real life Brent can’t be playing those kind of places."
The British comic admitted of all the tracks he has penned for the film the ballad ‘Slough’ is his favourite
He said: "If I had to pick one then ‘Slough’ would be my favourite. It’s meant to sound a bit like Radiohead or Bowie."
Ahead of the screening of ‘Life On The Road’ Gervais performed as Brent with his band Foregone Conclusion in Leicester Square.
The spoof group performed a host of tracks from the film including ‘Life on the Road’, ‘Slough’ and the hilarious ‘Equality Street’ – for which they were joined by Doc Brown rapping politically correct lyrics as his character Dom Johnson.
Foregone Conclusion closed their set with ‘Free Love Freeway’ – which first featured in the 2001 episode of ‘The Office’ entitled ‘Training’ – and fans shouted out jokes from the show during the performance prompting Gervais to plead with them to "please don’t" as he struggled to stop himself from laughing.
He rounded off the set by firing T-shirts into the crowd to huge cheers.
Ricky Gervais doesn’t want David Brent album to top the charts
