Joining forces in the 1970s, Daryl Hall and John Oates watched their stardom reach new heights as the duo released hit songs like “You Make My Dreams”, “Maneater”, and “Out of Touch.” For over 50 years the duo graced stages all over the world, showcasing their love for music and powerful discography. While able to create magic when working together, Hall recently admitted to enjoying his newfound freedom when it comes to his solo career.
Last November, Hall shocked fans when he filed a lawsuit against Oates for trying to sell his shares to Primary Wave Music. According to Hall, the sale would violate the duo’s business agreement. Calling the deal the “ultimate business betrayal”, Oats refuted the claims, suggesting he was hurt by the accusations brought against him.
With both performers looking for careers that don’t include them sharing the stage, Hall welcomed his new solo album called D. This marked his first solo album since 2011’s Laughing Down Crying. Speaking about his solo career, Hall said, “I always say I’ve been a solo artist my whole life, I was just working with John, mostly.”
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Daryl Hall Excited To Be Free
Opening up about the decades spent alongside Oates, Hall explained to Billboard how it hasn’t been the same for years. “John and I did not have a creative relationship for decades; the last song I wrote with John was in 2000 and that was with somebody else. We toured and we toured and we toured, and it was very restrictive to me, and to John. The real truth of it all is John just said one day he didn’t want to do it anymore. I said ‘OK,’ but the problem is [Oates] didn’t make the parting and breakup easy, and that’s where the difficulties lay and still lay, and that’s all it is.”
Considering himself liberated after ending their professional partnership, Hall concluded, “I can’t speak for John ’cause I haven’t spoken to him in a long, long time, but I think that’s how he feels, too. And good on both of us. I can still play all the songs that I wrote over the years, under my own name as well as under the Hall & Oates name. It frees me, really. It frees me up.”
(Photo by Mickey Bernal/Getty Images)