John Oates and his musical partner Daryl Hall have been involved in an infamous legal brawl due to business disagreements. However, the Hall and Oates bandmates had a few good things to say about their collaboration. John revealed during a recent interview that he remembers their time together, which he is proud of.
After five decades of performing as a duo, Hall and Oates finally decided to go their separate ways after John’s attempt to sell his half of their jointly-owned company— Whole Oats Enterprises. John claimed they simply grew apart, adding that he is surprised they even managed to last so long.
Why did Hall and Oates split?
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Hall took legal steps last year by filing a suit against John, who did not take permission before offering a part of their company to music publisher Primary Wave Music. According to Hall, his former partner’s actions “hit me by surprise” and taught him that “sometimes you don’t really know someone like you thought you did.”
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Hall took things further and received a temporary restraining order against John, with the sale suspended until the courts intervened. John admitted that they often disagreed on financial matters, and the passage of time did not make their working relationship any easier.
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Regardless of the ongoing feud between the legendary rock duo, John thinks they have had most of their best years together and maintains “a lot of respect for the body of work that we created.” He clarified that he has no plans to perform with Hall going forward and is “glad I can play new music now because it feels like a breath of fresh air for me.”
Hall shares a similar outlook on their separation, noting that it is an opportunity for him to play solo, unlike in past times. It is officially a new era for both singers, as John’s sixth solo album, Reunion, is set to debut this week. Behind them are evergreen achievements such as their spot in the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame, a feat of over 80 million album sales throughout their career, creating over half of the top 40 hits of the mid-70s and late ‘80s, and much more.