ROB PARTRIDGE RIP

2 June 1948 - 26 Nov 2008

Rob Partridge (left) with best friend David May. Plymouth 1965

David May comments on Rob's funeral:

Rob's humanist cremation and memorial service  was a unique occasion.

The Latin inscription on the front page of the order of service was HAEC RES VALE NIHIL ET ERGO FUTUENDAM EST which translated as 'Fuck this for a game of soldiers.'

We came in to his favourite Miles Davies track So What and then Billy Bragg opened the humanist service with an unaccompanied. Jerusalem. There were words from his Coalition colleage and a friend who supported QPR with him, a reading of a poem by Mary Oliver's The Summer  Day and a music journalist reflecting on time.
The music included Somewhere over the Rainbow / What A Wonderful World  from someone I hadn't heard of called Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and a deeply moving Tom Waits track Take It With Me. Waits was in the congration (along with Bono, the Edge and Adam of U2) It was a beautiful, moving moment. After a few words from his brother and some brave spirited ones from his wife Tina a absolute masterstroke was produced..

Only Rob could dream up ending his own funeral a with a six piece Mariachi Band in Mexican outfits singing My Way and ending with Roll Out the Barrell.  Apparently he was adamant that everyone should leave with a smile. He succeeded.

Chris Blackwell said he hadn't ever experienced a service like that in his lifetime. I doubt whether anyone present will again.

Mick Brown was also there and wrote this on The Telegrah blog.

'Rob Partridge: Influential music publicist and writer, he guided Bob Marley, U2 and Tom Waits' by Robin Denslow [The Guardian 2 Dec 08]

Johnny Marr, Bono, Tom Waits pay tribute to music PR Rob Partridge. PR oversaw Bob Marley, discovered U2 and helped start Mercury Prize [NME 1 Dec 08]

'Rob Partridge: Head of Press at Island Records who made a legend of Bob Marley' by Chris Salewicz [The Independent 29 Nov 08)

'Rob Partridge: an unsung hero of music' by Neil McCormick [The Telegraph 28 Nov 08)

'Rob Partridge: A Tribute' by Sean O' Hagan [The Guardian 28 Nov 08)

'Caught by the Reaper - Rob Partridge' by Tony Crean [Caught by the River 28 Nov 08]

'British Music PR Giant Rob Partridge Dies' by Tom Ferguson [Billboard 26 Nov 08]

Rob Partridge, R.I.P. [u2diary.com 26 Nov 08]

The Passing of A Remarkable Man [Insights From the Engine Room 26 Nov 08]

'Rob Partridge Dies' By Robert Ashton [Music Week 26 Nov 08]

EXTRAS:

List of articles by Rob Partridge in Rock's Back Pages

Rob was a writer for Melody Maker and other publications before becoming a press officer with Island Records.)

'My memories of Marley...' [BBC News 4 Feb 2005]

To mark the 60th anniversary of the birth of reggae star Bob Marley, Rob Partridge - Marley's former head of press at Island Records - remembers the man behind the legend.