Rob Hirst

Chris_D

Member
Any other fans of the Aussie icon?

Some info here on Rob... co-founder, drummer, main lyricist & backing vocalist of Midnight Oil.
 
Hey Chris, Rob Hurst is a legend. I have seen the oils live heaps of times and Rob's energy on stage is amazing. He hits his snare so hard. It just goes straight through you. The Oils are one of the best live bands I have ever seen ( and I have seen a lot of bands ). I'm not happy with Peter Garrett joining the Labor party though. That is so un rock n roll. Good to see Rob is still playing with the Backsliders.
 
Check out Rob's biography for Midnight Oil, think it's called Willie's Bar and Grill.

It's great fun, easy reading, and good look behind the scenes too. Well worth checking out.
 
Just two posts on this thread - criminal! :D

In terms of chops, Robbie is good but technically he's nowhere near legends like Billy Cobham, Steve Smith or Simon Phillips.

However, he is one of the most enjoyable drummers I've seen and heard live on stage. Very few drummers have his energy and ability to really drive and add excitement to a song. His other assets are super tighness, great timing and powerful sound. The Oils in their heyday were such a buzz to see and were without doubt the best live act in the country at the time - and they gave me more enjoyment than other great live acts at the time like ACDC, Skyhooks, Dragon, Split Enz, Cold Chisel, Jo Jo Zep, Divinyls, Kevin Borish Express, The Angels ... at the time there was nothing IMO like it when the Oils would go into overdrive, the stage lights would go vivid white and the energy coming off the stage with Robbie in the driving seat was just unbelievable!

I should say that one of Jimmy and the Boys' gigs at The Stagedoor Tavern when Iggy smashed a watermelon over his head during the solo in their version of Zappa's I'm the Slime and the stuff just dripped and oozed down his face and body was pretty memorable :)

Writing this really took be back to those glory days of pub rock in Australia before canned discos and poker machines wrecked the live music scene. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
 
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Yeah this thread deserves much more content than what it's got so far!!!

Rob probably isn't the most "technical" drummer on Earth, but who cares? The way he integrated with the other 4, the lyrics he wrote with Jim, his occasional use of a cocktail kit in the later years, his energy & the way he played being a true "showman" was awesome. Who else users a rainwater tank in their solos??? I've seen him so many times with The Oils, The Ghostwriters & a gig with Paul Greene, loved them all. But you're right, Aussie pub rock in the 80's will never be replaced... live music, it's just not the same anymore.
 
Yes, Robbie would have been one of Australia's more loved drummers, along Freddie Strauks of Skyhooks.

In the late 70s I walked into a Save the Whales fundraiser at the Stagedoor Tavern, having heard that the Oils were good but nothing prepared me for the moment I stepped inside in the middle of Dust where he was going berserk with those precise, powerful and speedy single stroke rolls of his, massive biceps glistening, and the energy levels through the roof. I thought, 'Where have YOU been all my life!".

Here are some clips of them in their early days when they would send the punters crazy - yeah!

Surfing With a Spoon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISKjA22k_m4

Bus to Bondi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzTru8PtKQI

The pub scene in Sydney is pretty dead now and I hear that even Melbourne's scene is under threat from the dreaded pokies. We were lucky to be around when it was happening.
 
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For anyone interested in Rob, buy the Sound Relief DVD (the whole DVD is awesome). The Oils full concert from Melbourne is on there, songs are in order:

Redneck Wonderland
Read About It
Blue Sky Mine
Advance Australia Fair (Jim Moginie is awesome)
One Country
Beds Are Burning
King Of The Mountain
Dead Heart
Power & The Passion (see above)
Best Of Both Worlds
Sometimes.

I've been a huge fan of The Oils/Rob Hirst since Red Sails in '84. I finally met Rob last month in Adelaide, he was here playing with The Backsliders. We had a good chat after the show, he would have to be the most humble person I've ever met. Nothing was too much trouble for him, chatting, photos etc... many other muso's/entertainers could take a leaf from his book. A true legend in Australian music.

How is it that he doesn't have his own page on Drummerworld?
 
You're right.....not enough on this thread......where's the rest of our countrymen? There's plenty of us here.

Great gig mate....was there. Have seen them several times before, but the re-union was a standout. It just reminded me that as a politician, Garret makes an excellent front man!!

Robbie's obligatory drum solo on the water tank is always a highlight.
 
PFOG said:
as a politician, Garret makes an excellent front man

Poor old Pete cops a lot of flak for his politics but his work with the Oils gave me so much pleasure I find it impossible to feel anything other than affection for him. How cool was it to see him spasming around the stage with that bald head and massive outstretched hands while Rob was hammering the daylights out of his kit?

From what I've heard, Rob wrote a lot of the Oils lyrics so he's a political animal too, just that he stuck with music. Also a fine backup vocalist as well. Now he's fronting his own band. Quite a talent.
 
Any Rob Hirst/Midnight Oil fans, you'll love this. Rob, Jim & Martin have joined up again with Brian Ritchie from the Violent Femmes. Have a listen to the video on their website, awesome stuff. New single is out Tuesday.
 
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