If you haven’t heard, long-time musical duo and 80s legends, Daryl Hall & John Oates are ending their partnership due to complicated legal issues.
Daryl Hall, one-half of the iconic duo Hall & Oates, has initiated legal proceedings against his longtime partner John Oates regarding the proposed sale of Oates’ stake in their joint venture, Whole Oats Enterprises, to Primary Wave Music. The lawsuit alleges that such a sale would violate the terms of their longstanding business agreement, as well as their partnership that has spanned decades since their formation in the year 1970.
According to AP, the legal conflict led to a temporary halt in the sale as ordered by Nashville chancery court judge Russell Perkins, pending the outcome of legal proceedings and ongoing arbitration. Details of the case were initially sealed, but part of it has been revealed by Chancellor Perkins, who had initially mandated confidentiality. The restraining order obtained by Hall prevents the sale of Oates’ share in Whole Oats Enterprises LLP to Primary Wave IP Investment Management LLC until a decision is reached by an arbitrator involved in a separate case initiated by Hall on November 9. The court has set the next hearing for November 30, prior to the expiration of the current restraining order.
The nature of the dispute remains somewhat unclear, with uncertainties about whether it revolves around the music catalog of Hall & Oates. The legal contention primarily focuses on an alleged breach of contract, with Hall’s team asserting that Oates shared details of their joint business agreement with Primary Wave, constituting a violation of the agreement’s terms. AP states that the lawsuit argues that the entire transaction is a result of an indisputable breach of contract.
The legal battle brings attention to the 2007 acquisition by Primary Wave of an interest in Hall & Oates’ song catalog, valued between USD $25 million and $50 million. The dispute unfolds against the backdrop of Primary Wave’s acquisition of the copyright and music publishing interests for approximately 70 songs written by Sara and Janna Allen in the same year. These songs include the Hall & Oates hits “Maneater,” “You Make My Dreams,” “Rich Girl,” and “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do).”
Despite this set of legal woes, Daryl Hall just recently performed in a jam-packed concert at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Philippines yesterday (November 27). As a treat for his Filipino fans, Hall invited a special guest to the show, Todd Rundgren, to perform alongside him on stage, much to the delight of audiences present in the crowd.