I've been struggling a bit this week, and I didn't really understand why? But when I sat down and started to really think about it, I realised that I was mourning. I was mourning the loss of a great creative. Someone who I admired and wanted to emulate (at least when I was young). Someone whom I thought was a force of nature, with an energy that seemed completely unstoppable.
That someone was Rob Hirst.
I have always said that he is the best drummer Australia has ever seen. And I stand by that. You see, when I first saw Rob Hirst play drums, I was blown away. Like, literally, my brain exploded with a pure excitement that I couldn't describe.
I was 14 when the Midnight Oil album Red Sails in the Sunset came out. It was the first cassette tape that I bought all by myself with my own money. And I was pumped. I played that tape every day for about 8 months straight. And boy did it rock.
I had heard Midnight Oil before, as my brother had their other albums, so I already loved them. But there was just something about holding a copy of my very own that was extra special. It will always be my favorite album of theirs. And I believe it was the last album that had that incredibly raw, drum thumping, heartbeat to it.
You see, Rob Hirst wasn't just the drummer of the band, he was the epicentre of their unique sound. He led the way. Here was this powerhouse that didn't just sit down and play, but he became one with his kit. He stood up and played; he jumped around and played; he sang and played. I'm sure when he was a kid he must have said to his mum, "when I grow up, I want to be a jack in the box with sticks."
Anybody who has ever had the privilege of seeing Midnight Oil live will testify to the energy and next level skills of the great man.
As a creative, Rob Hirst was a genius. His written words in many of the Oils songs have made their way into the hearts and minds of so many Australians and people around the world. He never stopped fighting for what he believed in and that shone through in the way he played.
Rob Hirst made me want to play drums.
When I was 16, I bought my own drum kit and the first song I tried to play was Read About It. Sorry Rob, I didn't catch on very quick. It took years and years to become even a little bit competent behind the kit.
I sat in my shed today and I played Midnight Oil, loud and hard, as it should be. I salute you Mr Hirst. Thank you for showing me how pure rock should feel.
Give em hell up there. RIP.
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