In 1970, Daryl Hall and John Oates met in Philadelphia. This led to the two musicians forming the pop-rock duo Hall and Oates. Over the next half century, the pair would dominate the charts with hits like “Rich Girl” and “Maneater.” Unfortunately, an ongoing lawsuit appears to have split the duo for good.
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Hall And Oates Is Done, John Oates Tells Rolling Stone
Oates recently told Rolling Stone that he is still open to a friendship with his longtime partner. However, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer added, they have incompatible strategies for both their business and personal lives.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’ve moved on,” said the 76-year-old guitarist. “I feel like I have a new lease on my creative life.”
Oates recently kicked off his solo Reunion tour April 4 in Huntington, New York. The tour wraps up June 27 in Rochester, New York. However, don’t buy a ticket expecting to hear the tracks that landed the duo in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Oates told Rolling Stone he wants to relegate the Hall and Oates catalogue to the past.
“I wanted them to be heard in the best possible light, the way they were when the spark was on fire in the ‘70s and ’80s,” Oates said. “That’s when those songs really resonated. To keep playing them, for me, was no longer interesting. I just wanted to do something else.”
More About the Lawsuit
In November 2023, Hall filed a lawsuit against Oates in a Nashville court. The court also granted the lead vocalist a temporary restraining order against his partner. Hall took legal action to block Oates from selling his half of their joint venture to Primary Wave Music. The “Someone Like You” singer alleged that doing so would violate the terms of the duo’s business agreement.
In court documents, Hall said Oates “blindsided” him with his decision to sell. “”I have no intention of becoming partners with Primary Wave, and [Oates] cannot be permitted to thrust a new partner upon me in this outrageous fashion,” wrote the 77-year-old singer.
In his own legal filing, Oates responded that he was “deeply hurt” by his partner’s claims.
These days, according to Rolling Stone, Oates doesn’t even follow his former partner on social media. “I hope he’s doing well and I hope he’s having a time of his life, but it’s not part of my life,” he said.
Featured image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
