Video adds to singer-songwriter's lovesong to Albert Road in Southsea

A shot from the video for the song Albert Road, by Portsmouth singer-songwriter Richard Morris

Richard Morris and his bandmates wore head-mounted cameras to film themselves as they took in the sights on the famous Southsea street.

Richard, from Southsea, was named Best Unsigned Male at last year’s Best of British Unsigned Music Awards. He said: ‘Albert Road is a destination everyone wants to experience. Every city has a street that maintains life, energy, a sense of freedom, and Albert Road is that main artery.

‘It’s the escape from the bleak, drab connections of everyday life that we all desire and it’s the reminder to have fun and spend time with the people you love.’

Last February Richard fulfilled his long-standing goal of headlining The Wedgewood Rooms – Albert Road’s legendary music venue. The show was to launch his then-new EP, Staying Alive, which featured this song.

‘I always dreamed of headlining and selling out venues on this road, and to achieve that, all of a sudden the road seemed quite small in the grand scheme of things. Regardless of that, it continues to provide a pulse and a backbone not only for me but is also a key element of Portsmouth’s music scene.

‘As a result I’ve always wanted to pay a tribute to it with the wackiest, craziest party I could hold. I rented a van, invited my fans and bought a marquee for £45, plus six inflatable animal costumes.

‘Having filmed the whole thing on GoPros, it came out way better than I could have ever imagined and it’s a video testament to the energy of this great street, and it captures the escape that I want everyone to feel from the ordinary and mundane. It definitely achieved everything I wanted it to.’

The performer has taken a breather from music in recent months – but wanted to do something with his hymn to the heart of Southsea before moving on.

‘I wanted to take a step back after things were winding down from the last EP. It had done very well for me, and I wanted to see where I would go next, but I was desperate to have one last hurrah for this song.’

Richard is planning to release a new single this summer. You can catch him live at Victorious, Wickham and Winchestival festivals.