Rob Partridge
Rob Partridge was a writer for Melody Maker and other publications before becoming head of press at Island Records in 1977. While at Island, Rob worked with numerous acts from U2 to Tom Waits and Marianne Faithfull. With Neil Storey he set up the independent publicity company Partridge & Storey in 1991, renaming it Coalition in 1996. Rob died in 2008.
Robin Denselow's Guardian obituary
81 articles
List of articles in the library
Slade: "Clapton was the first skinhead!" say Slade
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 25 October 1969
THEY LOOKED wrong. There they were, four merry little skinheads sprawled across deep Georgian chairs in one of those plush offices off Oxford Street. ...
Delaney & Bonnie: Clapton, Jagger, Harrison and Lennon Rave Over Them
Profile by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 25 October 1969
REPUTATIONS travel, Delaney And Bonnie's travel via Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger and George Harrison. ...
Eric Clapton, Delaney & Bonnie: Delaney & Bonnie and Friends: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 6 December 1969
AND A GOOD TIME was had by all at London's Royal Albert Hall on Monday. It was the first British appearance of Delaney & Bonnie ...
The Moody Blues: To Our Children's, Children's, Children (Threshold THM 1)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 6 December 1969
Moody Blues: rock group or mini-orchestra ...
Chicago: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 13 December 1969
CHICAGO ARE one of the great groups. We knew about them from their fine debut album, Chicago Transit Authority, released three months ago, but their ...
Quintessence: Notting Hill Gate – a Single, a Group, and a Place
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 3 January 1970
LONDON WEST Ten is the Grove. It is that part of Notting Hill straddling Ladbroke Grove, where, over the past few years, a whole new ...
Mott The Hoople: Mott & The Name Game...
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 10 January 1970
SOME BANDS try harder. Like Mott The Hoople for instance. You try walking around with a name like that. ...
Live Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 7 March 1970
THE FIRST thing you notice about them is why they're not "The Small Faces" anymore. Rod Stewart, the new vocalist, is head and shoulders above ...
T. Rex, Tyrannosaurus Rex: Tyrannosaurus Rex: Two Heads Are Better Than One
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 28 March 1970
TYRANNOSAURUS REX are one again. The double-headed animal has happily been put together again after it had split two ways last year. ...
Is Pop Music Putting The Boot In For Bovver?
Overview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 9 May 1970
Robert Partridge argues that violence has taken on a different meaning ...
Joe Cocker, Leon Russell: Leon Russell — Super Group?
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 16 May 1970
THERE ARE GROUPS, super-groups and super-super-groups. But there must be a new name for a combination of Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, ...
Leon Russell: Leon Russell (A&M AMLS 982)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 16 May 1970
A GRAND OLD rave-up featuring Eric Clapton, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watt, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Stevie Winwood, Delaney and Ronnie Bramlett, Chris Stainton, Joe Cocker ...
Norman Greenbaum: Spirit In The Sky (Reprise RSLP 6365)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 16 May 1970
'Junior Cadillac'; 'Spirit In The Sky'; 'Skyline'; 'Jubilee'; 'Alice Bodine'; 'Tars Of India'; 'The Power'; 'Good Lookin' Woman'; 'Milk Cow'; 'Marcy'. ...
The Who: Live At Leeds (Track)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 30 May 1970
'Young Man'; 'Substitute'; 'Summertime Blues'; 'Shakin' All Over'; 'My Generation'; 'Magic Bus'. ...
Fleetwood Mac: Falling Victim To An Epidemic
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 6 June 1970
GROUP SPLITS have become the foot-and-mouth disease of pop. And this year the splits have become almost endemic with British bands. ...
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 4 July 1970
BONUS TRACKS ON WOODSTOCK GIANT ...
Booker T & The MGs: Booker T. & the M.G.s: McLemore Avenue (Stax Stereo SXATS 1031).
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 4 July 1970
A COVER VERSION of the entire Beatles Abbey Road album — complete with Booker T. and the boys in Beatle-like post on the cover — ...
Free: Fire and Water (Island ILPS 9120)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 4 July 1970
'Fire and Water'; 'Oh I Wept'; 'Remember'; 'Heavy Load'; 'Mr Big'; 'Don't Say You Love Me'; 'All Right Now'. ...
Soft Machine: Third (CBS 66246)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 4 July 1970
'Facelift'; 'Slightly All the Time'; 'Noisette'; 'Slightly All the Time'; 'The Moon in June'; 'Out-Bloody-Rageous'. ...
The GTOs: Girls Together With Groups Outrageously
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 4 July 1970
YUP, IT was going to be one of those days. Miss Pamela and Miss Cynderella were in town. Which must be worth a quick Wow! ...
Report by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 18 July 1970
A front row view of how Swindon got FREED ...
The Rolling Stones: Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! (Decca Stereo SKL 5065)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 5 September 1970
MICK AND THE BURST BUTTON ...
Black Sabbath: It's All Word Of Foot
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 3 October 1970
THE BLACK SABBATH album Paranoid, slipped into your record shops a couple of weeks ago. No ballyhoo. The release was as quiet as it was ...
Rod Stewart: How Rod's Old Raincoat Didn't Let Him Down
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 3 October 1970
ROD STEWART is a walking synopsis of British rock music. He's been in there from the golden days of CND, through the Rod The Mod ...
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 3 October 1970
JACK BRUCE described Lifetime as simply the best band in the world. Jack, as quarter of Lifetime, might of course be a little biased. But ...
Keith Moon, Vivian Stanshall: Viv Stanshall: If it's not the S.S. it's bleedin' campers...
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 2 January 1971
THE ABSURD strikes back. This time it's the Fuhrer and his faithful SS attendant dancing in one of London's Beer Kellers. Before that, it was ...
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 23 January 1971
STAN WEBB is Chicken Shack. And at the moment he's quite literally the whole band – the rest of the original members left when the ...
U.K. and Europe — Wide Open for Rock Theater
Interview by Rob Partridge, Billboard, 18 December 1971
LONDON — John Morris knows about rock theatre. His career has blended together a decade's experience in both the rock music and theatre worlds, including ...
Frank Zappa: Portrait Of The Artist As A Businessman
Interview by Paul Phillips, Rob Partridge, Cream, January 1972
"IF you’re making £10 a night, you’ll be screwed. When you’re making £1,000 a night, you’ll still get screwed... only you’re being screwed for more." ...
Mahavishnu Orchestra: "All My Music Becomes An Offering To God"
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 11 March 1972
MAHAVISHNU JOHN McLAUGHLIN talks to Rob Partridge ...
Fairport Convention: The Banana Convention
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 30 June 1973
THE WAY DAVE PEGG sees it, what America needs is Fairport Convention's High Banana Content Programme. ...
Dr. John: Doctor John: Doctor Feelgood!
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 14 July 1973
COULD THAT possibly be Mac Rebennack peeping through the Dr. John persona? Just like, say, Sly Stone and Sylvester Stewart. ...
Allen Toussaint: Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 21 July 1973
THEY KNOW, of course, which one is Dr John. The Swiss photographers huddle around the stage, clicking their Nikons like American tourists determined to capture ...
Report by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 21 July 1973
Scores of reggae records sell enough copies to qualify as pop hits. But you won't see them on the charts and you won't hear them ...
Report by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 21 July 1973
LIKE THE WEATHER, the music at London’s White City on Sunday was a mixture of fair and foul. ...
Carole King: King Is The Queen
Live Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 28 July 1973
Carole King: Hammersmith Odeon, London ...
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 1 September 1973
"Hey, shout summertime bluesJump up and down in blue suede shoes" ...
Jethro Tull: Why Tull Called It A Day
Report by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 1 September 1973
JETHRO TULL's manager Terry Ellis this week accused rock critics of "taking advantage of their unassailable position to be abusive." ...
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 8 September 1973
THREE PLAYS and this record assumes the kind of easy familiarity usually expected from greatest hits albums. Eleven good cuts, and most of them potential ...
Professor Longhair: The Professor of Rock
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 8 September 1973
THE PROFESSOR, THEY SAY, influenced just about every musician in New Orleans. And it’s not a claim he’s about to deny. "I taught most of ...
Overview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 10 November 1973
"You just can't live in Texas if you don't have a lotta soul" – 'At The Crossroads' by the Sir Douglas Quintet, 1969. ...
Jimmy Cliff: From Reggae To Riches
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 17 November 1973
IT MUST BE almost three years since the last hit record. God, that's an artistic lifespan for many people, but somehow he manages to suggest ...
Sutherland Brothers and Quiver: Conquering Quiverlands
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 17 November 1973
FOR NINE WEEKS now, the Sutherland Brothers and Quiver have toured America with Elton John. Their single, '(I Don't Want To Love You But) You ...
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 17 November 1973
TRAFFIC, ON OCCASIONS, have the ability to sound like the most demanding and mature rock band in the world. Trouble is, each time they've reached ...
Plastic, paper and petrol famine shakes the whole music scene — ROCK CRISIS!
Report by Colin Irwin, Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 1 December 1973
ROCK MUSIC is reaching a crisis point. The worldwide energy shortage threatens the future of the entire music industry while rock itself faces a ban ...
Stealers Wheel: Wheel Of Fortune
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 5 January 1974
JOE EGAN used to be in a band called the Mavericks. Nothing much, just a young band from Paisley, a tough industrial town on the ...
Jobriath: Superstar or Superhype?
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 12 January 1974
"If hype means projecting your artist, I'm going to produce the biggest hype ever" – Jerry Brandt talking to ROBERT PARTRIDGE about his latest discovery, ...
Electric Light Orchestra, The Moody Blues, The Move, Spencer Davis Group, Wizzard: Brum Beat
Overview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 26 January 1974
"Liverpool today – Birmingham tomorrow. That's the forecast for the beat business in rock music. Yes, the Brum Beat is all set to take over ...
Electric Light Orchestra, The Idle Race: Electric Light Orchestra: Light And Bitter
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 9 February 1974
BRUNEL UNIVERSITY, FRIDAY: The film man wants to know the running order of the show tonight. ...
Manu Dibango: Manu: Breaking Out of Africa
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 2 March 1974
Manu Dibango, No. 1 in Africa, has finally broken through in America. Robert Partridge met him in Paris... ...
Electric Light Orchestra, The Move, Roy Wood, The Small Faces, Wizzard: Don Arden: The Hit Man
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 9 March 1974
He's been called the Al Capone of pop, and the reputation's, shall we say, a little heavy. A nervous Robert Partridge talks to Don Arden... ...
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 18 May 1974
Producer Richard Perry talks to Robert Partridge ...
Ronnie Lane: Lane, the Passing Showman
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 18 May 1974
THE FARMHOUSE didn't have a phone. The very idea appealed to Ronnie Lane. Miles from London and no phone. Ah, bliss. ...
Randy Newman: 'I'd Like to Have a Hit'
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 15 June 1974
Randy Newman may have an image problem — but he's got an impeccable track record. America's great songwriter talks to Robert Partridge ...
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 22 June 1974
WE'RE just talking, comparing favourite singers, when Boz Scaggs happens to mention Bobby "Blue" Bland. ...
Overview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 28 September 1974
In his latest examination of a major record company, Robert Partridge visits Atlantic — the company that moved from R&B and Otis to rock and ...
Robert Fripp, King Crimson: Robert Fripp: Why I Killed the King
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 5 October 1974
KING CRIMSON finally abdicated last week. But the end came with a whimper, an official statement merely commented that the band had "ceased to exist". ...
Nosmo King: Disco Demand: Smashes — by demand
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 14 December 1974
MM looks at a new label that's notching up an impressive track record ...
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 8 February 1975
IT'S CURIOUS that Maggie Bell still hasn't got her name up there in lights. ...
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 15 February 1975
DON COVAY'S resurrection as an artist was one of the brightest events of last year. His 'It's Better To Have' made number 21 in the ...
The Age of Atlantic: Making Tracks, Charlie Gillett (W.H. Allen)
Book Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 15 February 1975
Robert Partridge reviews a major new book about one of America's most important record labels. ...
Bad Company: Straight Shooter (Island)
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 29 March 1975
BAD COMPANY were the most remarkable success story of 1974. The band hit number one in the American charts with their first album, became headliners ...
Live Review by Colin Irwin, Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 5 April 1975
Yee-hah for the cowboys! Colin Irwin and Robert Partridge review Wembley's giant country festival ...
Allen Toussaint: Southern Nights (Reprise K 54021)
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 12 April 1975
Testimony to Toussaint ...
Tammy Wynette: Truckers' Choice
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 19 April 1975
No-one captures the ideals of Middle America quite like Tammy Wynette. And she's got the hits to prove it — an astounding 24 Number Ones. ...
Allen Toussaint: Southern Nights
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 3 May 1975
Way down yonder in New Orleans, ALLEN TOUSSAINT is an ace hitmaker. He's had a hand in such classics as 'Mother-In-Law', 'Land of 1,000 Dances' ...
Little Feat: Philosophy of the Feat
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 3 May 1975
"LITTLE FEAT are flukes," says Lowell George, "and the flukes just can't be stopped. In the end they balance out the monstrosities of 'formula' music." ...
Maria Muldaur: Maria's Magic Moment
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 10 May 1975
ENCORE time at Stony Brook, Long Island. Maria Muldaur had just finished an impressive set and the kids were yelling out for more of the ...
Tammy Wynette: Going UP Country
Report by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 14 June 1975
How come a seven-year-old single, re-issued for the fifth time, made it to number one? Robert Partridge gets the full story behind Tammy Wynette's 'Stand ...
Tammy Wynette: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 14 June 1975
THREE MONTHS ago Tammy Wynette was little more than cowboy fodder in Britain, appealing only to a small body of country freaks. But, one smasheroo ...
Average White Band: Cut The Cake (Atlantic)
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 19 July 1975
Hamish Stuart (guitar, vocals), Alan Gorrie (bass, vocals), Onnie Mclntyre (guitar), Roger Ball (keyboards, alto and baritone saxophones), Malcolm Duncan (tenor saxophone), Stephen Ferrone (drums, ...
Pete Wingfield: Breakfast Special (Island)
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 26 July 1975
THE ONLY question this album leaves unresolved is why no one thought of recording Pete Wingfield before. ...
Freda Payne, The Stylistics: The Stylistics, Freda Payne: Cunard International Hotel, London
Live Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 26 July 1975
THE STYLISTICS came onstage around midnight and, judging by the yawns on many people's faces, it wasn't a moment too soon. London's Cunard International Hotel ...
The Meters: Fire On The Bayou (Reprise K45044)
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 16 August 1975
Meters set the bayou afire ...
Wanda Jackson, George Jones: George Jones, Wanda Jackson: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 27 September 1975
GEORGE JONES is one of the major stars of American country music but, without the help of a chart single to attract the MOR audience, ...
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 1 November 1975
THE CHOCOLATE-smothered Rice Krispies cup cake lay half-eaten on the plate, neglected after the first bite. Tanya, it seemed, was not in the best of ...
Little Feat: The Last Record Album (Warner Brothers K56156)
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 8 November 1975
Feat on their knees... ...
Bobby Womack: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 13 March 1976
Womack: it's all over now ...
Jesse Winchester: Winchester '76
Interview by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 29 May 1976
JESSE WINCHESTER is diffident, reluctant to elaborate on the bare essentials of his biography. He was born in Louisiana, brought up in Memphis, studied in ...
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 28 August 1976
IT HAS been a remarkable year for reggae, a year which has seen the full flowering of the music as a vehicle for social, political ...
Willie Nelson: The Troublemaker (CBS) and Live (RCA)
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 13 November 1976
TWO OLDIES, neither of which add significantly to Nelson's reputation as the leading exponent of the new Texan country music: The Troublemaker, recorded in 1973, ...
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