It is the end of the road for the ‘80s rock duo Hall and Oates, following a legal battle between John Oates and Daryl Hall. Hall accused John of going behind his back to sell half of their joint company, Whole Oats Enterprises, which oversees their trademarks, name and likeness rights, record royalty income, and online assets.
The feud ended in a decision to break up, leaving Hall and John to each pursue their solo careers. After five decades of touring and performing together, both musicians are glad to express their unique creative freedom without boundaries finally. During a recent chat with The Post, John reflected on their first performance and its story.
The first ever Hall & Oates performance: a look back
John and Hall met at Temple University in Philadelphia in the late ‘60s, when the latter had “a doo wop group called the Temptones.” Hall’s band was meant to play at Gaslight Cafe, Greenwich Village in New York one evening but was missing their guitarist. Hall rang John, who drove from Philadelphia to urgently replace their instrumentalist, as they “were trying to get a record contract.”
RELATED: John Oates Finally Speaks On Split From Daryl Hall, Talks Possibility Of Future Reunion
The Temptones did not land the deal that night, but it began what would become Hall and Oates. The two old friends made for Apollo Theater, where they met The Temptations and hung out with them backstage. Nearly two decades later, they would play with the group’s Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin on the same stage.
at the American Idol Grand Finale 2010, Nokia Theater, Los Angeles, CA. 05-26-10
Will Hall & Oates reunite?
Sadly, there seems to be little to no chance of a Hall and Oates reunion due to their bitter separation involving “ultimate partnership betrayal,” legal drama, and a temporary restraining order. John appears to be resurrecting his love for the folk genre, as he is headlining the Philadelphia Folk Festival this summer. John has made peace with this new phase, noting that he has “outgrown the partnership and it’s time for me to move on.”
Hall, on the other hand, was surprised by his ex-partner’s decision to sell out their company, though he clarified that they “haven’t had a creative relationship for at least 25 years” aside from doing live shows together. Like John, he is set to pursue an independent music career and will release his sixth studio album, D, in collaboration with producer Dave Stewart.