Cue the jokes about Hall & Oates being “Out of Touch”: Daryl Hall recently filed a lawsuit against longtime bandmate John Oates in Nashville Chancery Court. Additionally, Hall was granted a restraining order against Oates.
According to The Associated Press, the lawsuit is tied to Oates’ plans to sell his share of their joint venture to Primary Wave. Hall contends that the sale would violate the terms of their business agreement and he asked for a restraining order to temporarily block the sale while legal proceedings and a previously initiated arbitration continue. Other details about the lawsuit remain under seal.
Primary Wave previously acquired a “significant interest” in Hall & Oates’ song catalog, a move which Hall previously expressed disappointment over. “It got sold off for me and I didn’t get the money,” Hall said in a 2021 interview. He also advised artists against selling their publishing rights, saying “all you have is that.”
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Consequence has reached out to representatives for Hall & Oates for comment.
Hall & Oates have been on and off over the past several decades, with each member taking time for solo endeavors. In 2017, they launched their own HoagieNation festival in Philadelphia, which was subsequently held in 2018 and 2021. However, the duo only played a handful of shows together as Hall & Oates last year and none in 2023.
Meanwhile, Hall spoke about why it’s “quite annoying” to be part of a duo in a 2022 interview with the Los Angeles Times. In addition, the singer said he didn’t have “any plans” to work with Oates on a new record. While Hall confirmed they were working on new music “before the pandemic,” he clarified, “Perceptions changed, life changed, everything changed. I’m more interested in pursuing my own world. And so is John.”
Several months later, Hall referred to Oates as his “business partner” and not his “creative partner” on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast. He continued, “We made records called Hall & Oates together, but we’ve always been very separate, and that’s a really important thing for me.”
Now, it appears that their relationship is irreparable.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with more details about the lawsuit.
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