The Coalition founder worked with - and for - many of the greats of the music business, including Bob Marley, Tom Waits and Chris Blackwell, who he famously recommended sign the then unheard of U2.

U2 manager Paul McGuinness says, "I first met Rob Partridge in Dublin about 1976 with Bill Graham of Hot Press magazine a bit before I met U2. I recognised his name from his Melody Maker days though when I met him he had already started ...