It doesn’t appear that Darryl Hall and John Oates will be touring together anytime soon as the world-renowned duo is currently in the midst of a legal battle.
Hall filed a lawsuit against Oates earlier this month in a Nashville court, citing his bandmate, as well as Aimee J. Oates and Richard Flynn as defendants. According to the Associated Press, Hall wants to halt Oates — as well as his co-trustees Aimee and Flynn — from selling their share of Whole Oats Enterprises LLP to Primary Wave IP Investment Management LLC. The ladder, a music publishing company, has owned a “significant interest” in the duo’s music catalog over 15 years, the outlet reports. Hall claims the sale would violate a business agreement with Oates.
In order to close the Primary Wave transaction, Hall requested a temporary restraining order against Oates, which was granted the following day. On November 30, a hearing is set to consider extending the restraining order.
While further details regarding the sale have not been revealed, a judge temporarily blocked Oates’ sale while legal proceedings are in process. The complaint notes that the case will ultimately be decided in a confidential arbitration process. Hall’s attorney told People that this is a “private dispute” and “is not a matter of legitimate public interest, although the parties are well known.”
So, what does this mean for touring?
While Hall and Oates played seven shows in 2022, they haven’t performed together at all this year. They last played a gig in Laughlin, Nevada on October 22, 2022. This could end up being their final concert together, as a legal battle and restraining order doesn’t bid well for touring.
In a 2020 interview with Rolling Stone, Hall said that they aren’t a duo, but instead “we are two people that run a band,” noting that their relationship is “more like Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.” Nonetheless, Hall and Oates, who have remained partners for 50 years, produced 29 Top 40 hits and eight platinum records throughout their career, making waves in the industry with timeless tracks like “Maneater,” “Out of Touch,” and “Rich Girl.”
However, just a week after filing the restraining order, Hall performed hits from the pair’s catalogue on Thanksgiving Day at the Tokyo Garden Theatre in Japan, Variety reported. This may mean that while Hall and Oates may not be seen on stage together, they could still tour separately. While music lives on, partnerships don’t always last forever.
Neither musician has publicly commented on the ongoing lawsuit.