After revealing in April of 2025 that he’d been battling stage three pancreatic cancer since 2023, Midnight Oil founder Rob Hirst passed away at the age of 70.
Left “shattered” by the devastating loss, on Tuesday (1.13), the band the confirmed their mate’s death with a statement on their social media page that read “After fighting heroically for almost three years, Rob is now free of pain – ‘a glimmer of tiny light in the wilderness’.” “We are shattered and grieving the loss of our brother Rob. For now there are no words but there will always be songs. Love Always from Jim, Martin and Pete.”
In a 2025 interview with The Australian, the hitmaker said he was all for assisted dying, stating “Why should you have to die in terrible, drawn-out pain?” “When you’ve had this amazing life – a life like I’ve had – why should end-of-life be so horrific when there’s an alternative?”
Addressing the importance of getting checked for cancer, the Aussie native added “I think that the lesson for me – and maybe why I’ve lasted this long – is because, if you do have any of that kind of symptom, where there’s something that you feel is wrong, just go and get a simple blood test. It could be life-changing, and life-extending.”
A core songwriter and one of its most consistent creative drivers for more than forty years, Hirst was a central force in Midnight Oil’s rise, serving as the band’s founding drummer, Formed in the mid-1970s, the group became known for its politically charged rock sound, as well as Rob’s hard-hitting percussion that shaped many of their most recognizable tracks. Including such memorable hits ’10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,’ ‘Diesel’ and ‘Dust and Blue Sky Mining,’ the stickman helped establish Midnight Oil as one of Australia’s most influential exports.
In addition to his drum kit work, Hirst contributed backing vocals and played a major role in the band’s musical direction during periods of intense touring and international success, and he remained active during Midnight Oil’s hiatus, recording and performing with projects including Ghostwriters, Backsliders and The Break.
In the late 2010s and early 2020s, Midnight Oil reunited for tours and new releases as well as their most recent studio album Resist in 2022.
The family Rob Hirst asking for donations to the Australian pancreatic cancer foundation Pankind and music charity Support Act.
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Author: Al Dente
Photo: Fab_Photo_29