U2 and Waits among Partridge mourners
Wednesday December 10, 2008
By Paul Williams
U2 and Tom Waits were among the many dozens of mourners attending the
funeral of Coalition founder Rob Partridge.
Partridge, who recommended the Irish band should be signed to Island
Records and handled Waits�?PR for more than two decades, was
remembered yesterday at a service at Golders Green crematorium
conducted by humanist minister Mark Hayford. Partridge died aged 60
last month after a two-year battle with cancer.
Staff past and present from Island Records, where Partridge was head
of press from 1976 to 1991, were among those at the service. Others
present included past and present executives from HMV, including Brian
McLaughlin and Steve Knott, which is one of Coalition’s longest-
serving clients as well as many others who had worked with or had had
an association with Partridge during his long, distinguished music
industry career.
Billy Bragg, whose PR is handled by Coalition, opened the service by
singing Jerusalem unaccompanied, while speakers included Coalition’s
Tim Vigon, former Go! Discs and Independiente executive Tony Crean
whose lengthy relationship with Partridge included working together on
the War Child albums.
Addressing the service, his widow Tina said she had “had just a
wonderful life with Rob�? “I wanted it to go on forever,�?she added.
“I couldn’t have had a better life. I’ve been hugely blessed.�?/FONT>
In a surprising twist at the end, characteristic of Partridge, the
service closed with a Mariachi band appearing to perform a version of
My Way.
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