My life has been absolutely better than anything anyone could ever ask for, and so, if my life is attenuated by this tiny little tumor that threatens to do me in, then I will still consider myself incredibly fortunate.
--- Rob Hirst
Legacy in Rhythm
--As the world cautiously emerged from its COVID cocoon in 2022, Midnight Oil announced its farewell tour. For my wife and me, this would be our first indoor concert since a string of upcoming performances on our calendar were cancelled at the beginning of the pandemic. Given my wife's health issues, we had been unsure about returning to concerts, but the chance to see the Oils one last time was the push we needed. We purchased tickets to the show at the Hollywood Palladium.
A week after the concert, I was quarantined after testing positive for COVID.
The Night I Became a Fan
My admiration for Midnight Oil started in 1988, when I was offered free tickets to their show at the Universal Amphitheater. I was familiar with their hits, but little else. Still, free tickets meant a chance to expand my musical horizons.
Peter Garrett was the obvious focal point of the performance. The lofty presence of the 6-foot-6 singer with a bald head was an imposing figure who immediately commanded attention. Add in his unique style of jerky dancing, and it became hard to take your eyes off him.
Why Rob Hirst Mattered
As a drummer, my attention was drawn elsewhere. Hirst's powerful performance, along with the band's passionate lyrics, drew me in, and I became a fan that night.
As I delved deeper into the band's music, I realized that Hirst was the musician I aspired to be. Like me, his drum kit consisted of both acoustic and electronic drums (though mine lacked a large storm drain). He also used his electronics not to imitate natural drum sounds, but to expand his palette.
This approach is on display throughout the Diesel and Dust album that served as the basis for the tour I attended. On "Sometimes," they are used for punches. They come to the front of the mix in "The Dead Heart," jarring the listener to attention and ensuring the song's message is heard.
The Sound of Resistance
From behind the drum kit, I'd heard every tired joke musicians tell, including the one that asks, "What do you call the guy who hangs out with the musicians in a band... the drummer." It always got a laugh, mostly because there's a grain of truth in how drummers are often treated as background players rather than full creative partners.
But Rob Hirst never fit that punchline.
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