U2 music boss Partridge dies
The music boss who gave U2 their first big break has died.
Irish music executive Rob Partridge, who U2 their first album deal, passed away following a battle with liver and bowel cancer. He was 60.
Partridge signed U2 to Island Records in 1980 when they were struggling to make it into the music industry.
As the label's head of press, Partridge went on to act as the band's publicist for more than a decade.
He also helped the careers of Bob Marley, Grace Jones, Tom Waits and Marianne Faithfull.
U2 frontman Bono has paid tribute to the late music mogul, saying: "Rob Partridge was one of the first people to sing our praises. He not only had an eye for upcoming talent, he was a nurturer... a
person who would educate you about the kind of obstacles you were going to meet and how to get over them... a rare human being."
Singer Faithfull also remembers him fondly: "(He was) one of the greatest men I have known and a great man to work with. I don't know what I will do without him, we have been friends for so long."
He is survived by his wife, Tina.
