Midnight Oil's Rob Hirst Sending Drum Kit To Charity Auction

Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst is parting ways with a spectacular piece of music history, putting his black Ludwig touring and recording drum kit under the hammer.

Initially purchased new for the recording of the band’s album, Head Injuries, the drum kit was placed centre stage on Midnight Oil’s stage set-ups from 1979 to 2022.

Now, Hirst is parting ways with the drum kit, auctioning it off with proceeds going to two organisations close to his heart. Proceeds will go to MusicNT’s Fix-Em-Up Truck Campaign, which provides gear, repairs, and support for remote musicians in the Northern Territory, as well as Support Act, which offers a lifeline to Australian music workers in need.

The auction has gone live today and will end on Monday, 13 October, at 9:00 pm AEDT. It’s open to everyone, and as a post from Midnight Oil notes, the winning bidder covers courier costs but will walk away with a piece of Australian rock music history.

“Rob hopes this kit finds a home where it can continue to inspire — whether that’s a museum or a private collection,” a post from the band reads. “Either way, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to own part of the Oils’ story.”

You can find out more about the auction via Air Auctioneer – and discover the drum specs, including cymbals, stands, and cases. It’s worth noting that the legendary water tank, a crucial component of the Midnight Oil live show (and the recording of Power And The Passion), is not included.

In April, Hirst revealed that he’d been quietly fighting pancreatic cancer—a diagnosis he received just six months after finishing Midnight Oil’s illustrious farewell tour of Australia.

The tumour was caught at stage three, and Hurst has undergone numerous rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Sharing the reason why he decided to make the diagnosis public, Hirst said he “wanted to get the story of pancreatic cancer out there,” as it’s a cancer that isn’t discussed all that much despite being on the rise in Australia.

“Coming up to two years, I thought I just need to get this, literally, off my chest,” he told The Australian. “Also, 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.”

He also chose to speak out about his diagnosis to honour the legendary musician and producer Mark Moffat, who recently passed away at the age of 74, and longtime Midnight Oil bassist Bones Hillman, who died from lung cancer in November 2020.

Reviewing the band’s final show at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion in October 2022, The Music’s Mick Radojkovic wrote, “Midnight Oil will never be forgotten, but neither should their legacy and what they’ve been working so long to achieve. For now, let’s remember them however we choose to do so, because everyone has an ‘Oils’ story and they should always be told.

“As the house lights came on, we blinked a few times and applauded once more, not quite believing that it really was all over.”