Hardie Grant acquires Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst’s “World is Almost at Peace” under Pantera imprint
Hardie Grant Books imprint Pantera Press has acquired world rights to World is Almost at Peace: A Lifetime of Songwriting for Midnight Oil and More, the final book by the late Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst.
Described by the publisher as “poignant and deeply nostalgic”, World is Almost at Peace focuses on Hirst’s songwriting process with bandmates Jim Moginie and Peter Garrett, “breaking down the writing process line-by-line” and giving “a unique and unusual insight into a deeply private band’s songwriting method”, according to the publisher. The book will include Hirst’s “entire lyric catalogue from his myriad musical collaborations … highlighted for the first time, alongside early-version pages from his notebooks, hand-printed posters and musical ephemera from the band’s early days”, as well as unseen photos, and behind-the-scenes stories from the Hirst and peers including Moginie, Rick Grossman (The Divinyls, Hoodoo Gurus) and Dom Turner (Backsliders).
The book’s publisher, Hirst’s daughter Lex Hirst, said: “As both a publisher and daughter, I’ve found myself in a unique position these past few months. My dad, Rob Hirst, was working on World is Almost at Peace right up until the end of his life, and I’m so proud we’re now able to share it. This project is his tribute to the songwriting canon, and as you read the book, his voice sings out from the pages not only through his lyrics but also through the stories he’s shared along the way. His presence in this world lives on, through this, his final book of words.”
Described by Pantera as “the beating heart of Midnight Oil with his formidable power behind the drum kit and one of the most revered musicians in Australia and on the world stage”, Hirst wrote and co-wrote Midnight Oil songs including “Beds Are Burning”, “The Dead Heart”, “Best of Both Worlds”, “Kosciusko”, “King of the Mountain”, “Read About It” and “Forgotten Years”.
Pantera Press plans to publish World is Almost at Peace in November.
Category: Local news Rights and acquisitions
