The global rock community is reeling after the death of Rob Hirst, the thunderous drummer and founding force behind Australian rock giants Midnight Oil.
Hirst died at age 70 following a devastating battle with pancreatic cancer, a diagnosis he revealed in 2023. The band confirmed his passing Tuesday, sending shockwaves through fans who grew up with Midnight Oil’s raw sound and unapologetic political fire.
“After fighting heroically for almost three years, Rob is now free of pain — ‘a glimmer of tiny light in the wilderness,’” his bandmates wrote in an emotional social media post. “He died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones.”
Known for his explosive drumming and relentless energy, Hirst wasn’t just keeping time — he was helping drive a movement. Over nearly five decades, he helped shape Midnight Oil’s unmistakable sound and co-wrote some of their most legendary tracks, including “Beds Are Burning” and “The Dead Heart.”
Formed in Sydney in the mid-1970s, Midnight Oil went on to release 13 studio albums and became one of the most politically outspoken rock bands of the 1980s, taking their message from Australian pubs to the world stage.
Even as cancer threatened his life, Hirst remained reflective and unbroken. In a 2025 interview, he spoke with striking clarity about his legacy.
“It’s been absolutely better than anything anyone could ever ask for,” he said. “And so, if my life is attenuated by this tiny little tumour that threatens to do me in, then I will still consider myself incredibly fortunate.”
Fans and fellow musicians are now flooding social media with tributes, remembering Hirst not only as a rock icon, but as a fighter who faced his final battle with honesty, courage, and grace.
The beat may have stopped — but the echo of Rob Hirst’s drums will live on.
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