The music world is mourning the loss of Rob Hirst, the legendary drummer and founding member of Australian rock band Midnight Oil, who has died at the age of 70. Hirst was the band's rhythmic heartbeat and a crucial, though often underappreciated, songwriting force behind some of their most iconic anthems.
The Engine Room and The Architect
To fans, Rob Hirst will forever be remembered for his explosive, minute-long drum solo on the 1982 hit 'Power and the Passion'. Recorded for the breakthrough album '10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1', the solo was a moment of controlled chaos that defied rock cliché. In live performances, he famously played parts of it on a corrugated iron water tank sourced from the Australian desert.
Yet his legacy extends far beyond the drum kit. Hirst was a phenomenal songwriter whose name is credited on a slew of the band's defining tracks. He frequently provided the core melody and lyrics, which guitarist Jim Moginie – his principal creative partner – would then develop. This partnership yielded anthems including 'Beds Are Burning', 'The Dead Heart', and 'Forgotten Years'.
A Songwriter of Conscience and Craft
Hirst possessed a unique talent for distilling complex social and political themes into powerful, memorable lines. He was the lyrical architect behind 'Short Memory', transforming a Moginie demo into a bullet-point critique of historical amnesia. He also authored the climactic, bitterly ironic line "Nothing's as precious as a hole in the ground" for 'Blue Sky Mine', a song about the Wittenoom asbestos disaster.
His songwriting was deeply personal as well. 'Forgotten Years', hailed by singer Peter Garrett as a great anti-war song, was inspired by the experiences of Hirst's father and grandfather. Even upon the band's return to the studio in 2019, Hirst led the way, contributing 'First Nation' and the APRA Award-winning 'Gadigal Land'.
The Bloody-Minded Heartbeat of The Oils
Alongside Garrett and original manager Gary Morris, Hirst was instrumental in forging Midnight Oil's defiant, five-against-the-world identity. He described the band as "a bloody-minded bunch of bastards", determined to do things their own way. His drumming style – with a kick drum slightly ahead of the beat and snare just behind – created the band's distinctive, pump-action live energy.
Outside of Midnight Oil, Hirst maintained a prolific creative output. His final EP with Moginie and Hamish Stuart topped the ARIA charts in November. He also played in projects like the Ghostwriters with Hoodoo Gurus' Rick Grossman, the Backsliders, and the surf outfit the Break.
Rob Hirst was more than just a drummer; he was the passionate, principled engine of one of rock's most politically charged acts. He embodied the very power and passion that drove Midnight Oil, leaving behind a formidable musical and activist legacy.
