John Oates Announces His Exit from Hall and Oates: ‘I’ve Moved On’
via The Newton Theatre / YouTube
It seems like the end of an exciting journey for a popular music duo. Hall and Oates, a celebrated musical pair who have warmed the hearts of many fans for half a century, seems to have come to a sudden halt. John Oates, one half of the duo, recently revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone that his longstanding collaboration with Daryl Hall had concluded.
Legal Struggles and a Pandemic Reflection
Oates elaborates, “You can ask Daryl the same question. But, yes. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve moved on. I feel like I have a new lease on my creative life.” These statements can be deemed as revelations about the duo’s current circumstances. This development follows months of publicly broadcasted legal disputes between Hall and Oates.
It all became known to the public last year when Hall filed a lawsuit against Oates. The legal documents revealed Hall’s effort to stop Oates from selling his part in their joint venture to Primary Music Wave. Hall viewed this act as a breach of their professional contract terms. Additionally, he expressed feeling “blindsided” by Oates’ actions, labeling them as the “ultimate business betrayal.” On the other hand, Oates expressed that he was “deeply hurt” by Hall’s accusations.
So, what brought about this sad turn of events? John Oates believes it was a matter of personal growth and a change in perspective that came about during the enforced quietness of lockdown. The duo, popular for their blockbuster songs and massive tours, also engaged in individual musical pursuits. For Oates, the lockdown brought about a period of introspection and evaluation.
He explains, “During the pandemic, there were no more private planes. There were no more arena shows or even acoustic shows. It gave me a chance to step back. I had a chance to reevaluate things.” Together with his wife, Oates redirected his energy towards charitable acts, including feeding 350,000 families through the Oates Song Fest for Feeding America.
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Shifting Priorities and the Future Apart
One of the significant changes in his life was his diminished interest in performing big hits before huge audiences. About this, Oates says, “Those songs are going to live forever. But I wanted to relegate them to the classic file that they’re in.” He believes the songs had their magic moments in the 70s and 80s, which may not be the same today.
Meanwhile, alongside these revelations, Oates faces accusations from Hall saying he timed “the Unauthorized Transaction to create the most harm to me”. However, Oates refutes these claims, expressing a keen disconnect with Hall’s activities. He says, “I didn’t even know he was going on tour. I had nothing to do with that. I don’t even know what he’s doing. 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.”
Despite the growing gap between the two, Oates holds much respect for Hall, expressing, “Daryl Hall is an amazing individual. He is one of the great songwriters of all time and one of the great singers of all time.” However, he respects the different path laid out for both of them, affirming they “deserve to be allowed to do whatever we want to do.”
Looking toward the future, Oates remains uncertain about any future collaborations with Hall, simply stating, “I have no idea. But I don’t see it. Life is funny though. You never know what kind of curve it will throw you.”
