Daryl Hall, half of one of the most beloved pop-R&B duos of all time, is suing his ex-music partner, John Oates.
Since their 1972 debut, Hall & Oates have released 18 studio albums, featuring six No. 1 singles, including “Maneater,” “Rich Girl” and “Out of Touch.” They’ve parted ways and reunited several times over the years, but this time, their relationship has seemingly soured to the point of legal action.
According to court records cited by Vanity Fair, 77-year-old Hall filed an undisclosed complaint against Oates on Nov. 16, as well as a motion for a temporary restraining order, which was granted. It’s slated to go into effect on Nov. 30.
The litigation reportedly involves allegations of a contract breach, potentially stemming from royalties or Oates performing their music during his solo shows, per TMZ, which also noted the pair had previously been in arbitration.
Oates has been touring this year, most recently in Arizona earlier this month.
The Nashville Chancery Court confirmed the lawsuit had been filed, but declined further comment, citing the fact that the case has been sealed. No other details have been provided.
The suit comes about a year after Hall discussed the nuances of his relationship with 75-year-old Oates on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast.
“I don’t have a partner. You say, John Oates is my partner?” Hall remarked during the September 2022 show. “John and I are brothers, but we are not creative brothers. We are business partners. We did a lot of stuff. We made records called ‘Hall & Oates’ together, but we’ve always been very separate, and it’s a really important thing for me.”
The musician noted they were far from “acrimonious,” just that they “have different directions.”
Earlier that same year — and just ahead of the release of his latest studio album — Hall said he’s always felt like a solo artist.
“It’s very annoying to be a duo,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “Everything you do is juxtaposed against another person. Try doing that sometime. I don’t want to use the word ‘emasculating,’ because that’s male, but it takes away your individuality.”
Hall & Oates toured together as recently as October 2022.
With News Wire Services
