Midnight Oil’s beating heart, Rob Hirst, dead at 70 after pancreatic cancer battle

Rob Hirst, the founding drummer and rhythmic backbone of legendary Australian rock band Midnight Oil, has died at the age of 70 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

The band confirmed Hirst’s passing in a heartbreaking social media statement shared Tuesday, Jan. 20, announcing the loss of one of Australia’s most influential rock musicians.

The Australian rock band Midnight Oil has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide and rose to global fame with their 1987 breakthrough album Diesel and Dust. Long regarded as one of Australia’s most beloved bands, they helped define a generation of politically charged rock.

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