Daryl Hall and John Oates are embroiled in a private legal battle, Daryl Hall got a restraining order against his former musical partner. The public can only access a limited amount of information regarding the lawsuit because the court documents are sealed.
On November 16, Hall submitted a motion for a temporary restraining order and an undisclosed complaint against Oates, according to court records. The court then issued a temporary restraining order, which went into effect on November 30.
The reason for the restraining order is unclear
Hall filed a request for a temporary restraining order in Nashville Chancery Court on November 16. Official service was held on November 20 for the co-defendants in this case, which include Oates, his wife Aimee J. Oates, and business manager Richard Flynn (who act as co-trustees of his trust).
On the Nashville Chancery Court website, court records classify the restraining order as a Contract/Debt case, even though the exact reason for the order is still unknown. Inquiring further, CBS News has contacted Flynn and Hall’s lawyer and is awaiting a response.
Daryl Hall openly chastised John Oates in podcasts
Variety was informed by the Nashville Chancery Court that the lawsuit was pending, but further information was withheld due to the case’s sealed status. Hall openly chastised Oates in a podcast appearance on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” last year, highlighting their differentiating roles as business partners and creative collaborators.
Despite having collaborated on records such as Hall & Oates in the past, Hall stressed that they were no longer business partners.
Hall went on to minimize Hall & Oates’ collaborative nature, pointing to their chart-topping hit song “Kiss on My List” from 1980 as proof of their alleged creative independence.
He insisted that he was the only one who contributed the harmonies in the song, taking credit for all of them. Interestingly, Oates and Hall are recognized as co-producers on “Kiss on My List” but not as songwriters.
More about Hall & Oates’ records
Philadelphia-born Daryl Hall and John Oates, better known as Hall & Oates, were a musical duo in the 1970s. Usually, John Oates sang backing vocals and played the electric guitar alongside lead vocalist Daryl Hall.
The majority of their songs were written together.
They combined rock and roll, soul, rhythm, and blues to achieve their greatest success from the mid-1970s to the late 1980s. Hall prefers the formal name Daryl Hall & John Oates, even though they are commonly referred to as Hall & Oates.
All US releases of their albums are credited to Daryl Hall & John Oates, or Daryl Hall John Oates. Between 1974 and 1991, the pair’s 33 singles reached the US Top 40 on Billboard’s Hot 100, marking their chart success.
“Rich Girl” (1977), “Kiss on My List” (1980), “Private Eyes” (1981), “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” (which also achieved a Hot Soul No. 1), “Maneater” (1982), and “Out of Touch” (1984) were the six songs that made it to the top of the charts. In addition to their remarkable 16 US Top Tens, their repertoire includes hits such as “She’s Gone,” “Sara Smile,” “You Make My Dreams,” “Family Man,” “Say It Isn’t So,” and “Method of Modern Love.”
Six of their albums have been certified gold by the RIAA, and seven have received platinum certification.
“I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” and “Maneater” made it to the Top Ten, and they also had six Top 40 singles and two Top Ten albums in the UK.
The pair have been in the UK Top 75 albums chart for 120 weeks and the UK Top 75 singles chart for 84 weeks.
Hall & Oates were admitted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. The duo’s incredible legacy was furthered in August 2018 when, as part of Billboard’s 60th anniversary celebration of the Hot 100, they were ranked sixth among the Hot 100’s top duos/groups and 18th among all-time Hot 100 artists.
They continue to hold the record for being the greatest successful duo of all time, outperforming legendary groups like Simon & Garfunkel, the Carpenters, and the Everly Brothers.
