Daryl Hall is proving to be a real maneater, as more details of his restraining order and suit against former partner John Oates have come out, with Halls citing any potential music sale as likely causing “imminent irreparable harm.”
Hall’s restraining order, which was filed earlier this month, stems from Oates apparently seeking to move forward with a plan to sell the entirety of his individual rights, title and interest in Whole Oats Enterprises (WOE), a limited liability partnership which also owns the “Hall & Oates” trademark. As per the suit (obtained by People), Oates was going to sell to publisher Primary Wave Music without the consent of Hall. Daryl Hall plans to stop this “so as to maintain the status quo of WOE before there is a change in control of the partnership in violation of the terms of the Agreement.”
As more details emerge, attorneys for Daryl Hall have said that this should remain “private dispute… This is not a matter of legitimate public interest, although the parties are well known.”
Hall & Oates was one of the biggest pop acts of the ‘70s and ‘80s, first charting with 1973’s “She’s Gone.” Their first Top 10 hit came three years later with “Sara’s Smile”, which hit #4 just one year before “Rich Girl” became their first #1 smash. Their string of successes would continue through the years, reemerging at the top spot in the early part of the ‘80s, hitting #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts five times with songs like “Private Eyes”, “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” and “Maneater.” In total, the pair had 29 Top 40 singles.
Hall & Oates have not put out a new album of (mostly) original material in 20 years, with a covers album and a Christmas release coming in 2004 and 2006, respectively. The duo had plans for another album but this was delayed – and ultimately shelved.
A hearing over the case between Daryl Hall and John Oates is set for this Thursday.
Hall recently simplified his relationship with Oates, saying, “He’s not my creative partner…John and I are brothers, but we are not creative brothers. We are business partners. We made records called Hall & Oates together, but we’ve always been very separate, and that’s a really important thing for me.”
