Midnight Oil Drummer Rob Hirst Dead at 70

Australian rocker Rob Hirst has died. He was 70.

Hirst, best known for being the drummer and co-founder of legendary surf punk band Midnight Oil, passed away following a battle with cancer. He was diagnosed with stage three pancreatic cancer in 2023.

“After fighting heroically for almost three years, Rob is now free of pain — ‘a glimmer of tiny light in the wilderness,’” the band wrote in a statement on their Instagram page. “He died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones.”

View this post on Instagram

The band asked that “anyone wanting to honor” the musician donate to Pancreatic Cancer Australia or to the musical charity Support Act.

Midnight Oil was one of Australia’s most beloved bands, and they experienced worldwide popularity thanks to their unique style and politically charged songwriting. They were also known as a great live act, thanks to the eccentric dance moves of frontman Peter Garrett.

The band is well known for songs like “Run By Night,” but hit the peak of its fame with the 1987 album Diesel and Dust. That album spawned global hits like “The Dead Heart” and “Beds Are Burning,” and they continued to experience international success until the group disbanded in 2002. They reunited in 2016, and released their final album Resist in 2022.

Hirst is survived by his wife and their two daughters, along with one other daughter.