The starkness of Midnight Oil impacted Australian culture for over half a century. Their significance will forever be recognised. Drummer Rob Hirst, though not the frontman of the group, was, to many, its backbone. Here the Radio Show speaks with Prof David Nichols about the musician from Camden whose surfing head band travelled the world with a flamboyant lead singer and a story and message of social activism, indigenous land rights, environmental awareness and confronting uncomfortable truths. David also lets us in on the real reason that The Oils never appeared on Countdown.