Daryl Hall and John Oates Andy Sheppard/Redferns via Getty Images
John Oates isn’t writing off the idea of working with Hall & Oates collaborator Daryl Hall again despite their recent legal drama.
“I never say never to anything,” Oates, 75, told Entertainment Weekly of a future collaboration with Hall, 77, on Thursday, December 14. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but … right now, I’m focused on where I am in life and leading the best life I can and moving forward.”
Oates’ comments come after Hall filed a complaint and motion for a temporary restraining order against him last month. Hall sued his former bandmate over Oates’ intention to sell his portion of their joint business venture, Primary Wave Music, which would allegedly violate their business contract, per the Associated Press.
A judge granted Hall the restraining order to temporarily block the sale during ongoing legal proceedings.
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Despite the twosome’s bad blood, Hall performed several Hall & Oates songs at Japan’s Tokyo Garden Theater last month. According to Variety, the musician sang “Private Eyes,” “Out of Touch” and “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” during the show.
Daryl Hall and John Oates Brian Killian/Getty Images
Hall and Oates formed their eponymous band in 1970 and went on to release 18 studio albums together, the last of which, Home for Christmas, came out in 2006. The musical duo has six No. 1 singles including “Kiss on My List” and “Rich Girl.”
Although most well-known as a pair, Hall minimized his working relationship with Oates during an appearance on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast in September 2022.
Daryl Hall and John Oates Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
“I don’t have a partner. You say John Oates is my partner? … He’s my business partner. He’s not my creative partner,” Hall said. “John and I are brothers, but we are not creative brothers. We are business partners. We made records called Hall & Oates together, but we’ve always been very separate, and that’s a really important thing for me.”
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Hall has also expressed frustration with the group’s business deals. Hall & Oates’ musical catalog was acquired by Primary Wave in 2007, which Hall seemingly came to regret.
“Oh, in the early days, it got sold off for me and I didn’t get the money,” he told Sky News in May 2021, without mentioning a firm by name. “I have a bit of my publishing, but a lot of bad business was done in the early days — I’m a real rock and roll story when it comes to that kind of thing. Never sell your publishing — maybe if you’re, you know, 80 years old and you decided to retire, then you can sell your publishing, but I wouldn’t even suggest it then, I don’t believe in that concept. It’s all you have is that.”