Say It Isn’t So: Daryl Hall Confirms End of Hall & Oates

Hall & Oates are officially no more, according to a new interview with Daryl Hall in Variety.

“It hit me by surprise,” Hall said in a call from his home in the Bahamas. “I don’t know, man — all I can say is people change and sometimes you don’t really know someone like you thought you did. Difficulties can be made from things that aren’t difficult, and then it goes to a place where it can never come back from. It’s unfortunate and untimely, but some things just change. People rewrite history and harbor thoughts you had no idea about.”

Asked if we’ve seen the last of his former group, he replies, “That is correct.”

The issue happened last Fall when John Oates attempted to sell his half of the Philadelphia duo’s company, Whole Oats Enterprises. Whole Oats Enterprises, which controls trademarks, personal name and likeness rights, record royalty income, website and social media assets — something he cannot do without Hall’s consent. 

“I haven’t had a creative relationship with John for at least 25 years. We didn’t write songs together, we didn’t do anything together except perform live shows,” he said. “We had an arrangement that I couldn’t play my solo songs onstage with Hall & Oates — and now I get to.”

Hall will release his new solo record, “D,” on June 21. The first single, “Can’t Say No to You,” is out today. Hall will appear at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel with Elvis Costello on July 18.