John Oates seems to be maintaining a positive attitude despite Daryl Hall, his Hall & Oats bandmate, suing him. At first, the litigation was “under seal,” as first reported by Axios Nashville’s Nate Rau on November 17, but The Associated Press later reported that Hall sued Oates under the argument that “[Oates’] plan to sell off his share of a joint venture would violate the terms of a business agreement the Hall & Oates duo had forged.” A temporary restraining order was also involved.
Still, Oates spoke highly of Hall while on the Behind The Velvet Rope podcast on Wednesday, December 27.
“You can’t ignore the fact that the Hall & Oates catalog of hits and the 50-year career will always trump almost anything that Daryl does on his own or I do on my own, which is OK because I’m very proud of that music,” Oates said toward the beginning of the episode. “I’m really proud of what Daryl and I created together. I think we made music that will stand the test of time — that, hopefully, will live on forever.”
He continued, “But, at the same time, I’m not very nostalgic. It’s interesting. I make the analogy of — you know what it’s like when you go to a great museum, and you’re really excited to go and see all the beautiful paintings or the exhibits or whatever it might be? And then near the end, your feet start to hurt, and you say, ‘You know what? I can’t wait to get out of here.’ That’s kind of how I feel about it.”
Later, Oates, added, “I have moved on. It’s just a matter of living in my present.”
Similarly, Entertainment Weekly recently asked Oates about whether he’d still be open to performing with Hall again in the future. He responded, “Oh, you know what, I never say never to anything. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I just want — right now, I’m focused on where I am in life and leading the best life I can and moving forward.”
Regardless of Oates’ amicable public comments about Hall, court documents indicate at least some animosity between the iconic pop duo.
On November 29, The Associated Press shared that Hall’s court declaration included his statement alleging that Oates committed the “ultimate partnership betrayal” by intending to sell their joint venture without his consent. Oates’ court filing expressed disappointment in Hall’s “inflammatory, outlandish, and inaccurate statements about me.”
“Over the years, Daryl has consistently and publicly been adamant about being perceived as an individual rather than as part of a duo or group,” Oates said in his declaration. “Thus, he has insisted on our being known as ‘Daryl Hall and John Oates,’ rather than the more commonly known ‘Hall & Oates. On this point, I agree. I now must act with truthfulness and make decisions that are right for myself, my family, and my artistic future.”