Hall & Oates find themselves in a covert legal dispute that has resulted in Daryl Hall securing a restraining order against his former music colleague John Oates.
The lawsuit’s details remain shrouded due to sealed court documents. However, Hall reportedly filed an undisclosed complaint against Oates on Nov. 16 and concurrently moved for a temporary restraining order, as revealed by Philadelphia magazine. The official court order for a temporary restraining order was then set for Nov. 30.
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The Nashville Chancery Court confirmed the existence of the lawsuit to Variety but declined to comment further due to the lawsuit’s sealed nature.
On Nov. 23, Hall played a concert featuring Hall & Oates classics in Tokyo.
As TMZ highlighted, Hall criticized Oates on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast last year, stating, “You think John Oates is my partner? … He’s my business partner. He’s not my creative partner.”
Continuing, he 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.”
Hall further diminished the collaborative aspect of Hall & Oates, citing their 1980 No. 1 hit “Kiss on My List” as an example of their apparent creative separation. “I did all those [harmonies],” Hall expressed. “That’s all me.” Oates is not credited as a songwriter on “Kiss on My List” but is listed as a co-producer with Hall.
Hall & Oates crossed paths in 1967, officially forming their duo three years later. Their debut came in 1972 with “Whole Oats,” and they have since released 18 studio albums. The pop-R&B pair boasts six No. 1 singles, including “Maneater,” “Rich Girl,” and “Out of Touch.” Despite pursuing solo careers and separate tours, the duo maintained their partnership, last touring together in October 2022, and delivering their latest studio album, “Home for Christmas,” in 2006.
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