John Oates discusses lawsuit with Daryl Hall and admits they are no longer friends
John Oates has explained his recently resolved legal battle with his former Hall and Oates bandmate Daryl Hall and spoken about the decline of their relationship.
The lawsuit first emerged in 2023 when Hall sued Oates after the latter attempted to sell his stake in their joint publishing company, Whole Oats Enterprises. Almost two years later, they finally reached an agreement in August.
Now, during a new interview with The Zach Sang Show, Oates said of the arrangement, “Daryl and I have amicably agreed to separate our business interests, that’s the bottom line. We’re both pursuing whatever it is that we want to pursue.”
Reflecting on why he chose to part ways, Oates said: “We were partners for over 50 years and the partnership was predicated on a lot of things and we were kids (when) we entered into a business relationship that was quite frankly out of date. Because when you enter a business agreement that’s 50 years old, and all of a sudden you’re 70, you’re not the same person and the business is not the same.”
Oates also stated why now was the right time to end the business agreement, adding, “I wanted to make sure that I could at least see through my creative life in a way that was completely unencumbered and complete 100 per cent authentic to who I am right now.”
The duo last performed together in 2022, and Oates previously confirmed last year that they wouldn’t reunite, which he reiterated on the Zach Sang Show, stating that the “ship has sailed”. The singer also said that he wants fans to “remember Hall and Oates in its prime” and honestly admitted that “trying to revitalise that is impossible”.
Oates also elaborated on the breakdown of their relationship, which caused them to split up, admitting they are no longer friends. He shared, “As time went on, as we both got older and our life experiences changed, our relationships changed, then we started to not have the same goals anymore. That’s really what happened.”
In March, before the lawsuit was settled, Hall accused Oates of “the ultimate partnership betrayal” for attempting to sell his share in Whole Oats Enterprises. He also ruled out the chances of a reunion, telling The Times, “That ship has gone to the bottom of the ocean.”
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