Hall & Oates singer Daryl Hall’s temporary restraining order blocks bandmate John Oates’ planned business sale

Hall & Oates singer Daryl Hall’s temporary restraining order blocked bandmate John Oates from completing the sale of his stake in the group’s business, FOX Business can confirm.

After attempting to begin arbitration on Nov. 9, Hall resorted to filing a separate lawsuit and requested a temporary restraining order to keep Oates from selling his share in Whole Oats Enterprises. The business venture is managed by both musicians.

The temporary restraining order, which was granted on Nov. 17, prohibits Oates from selling his share to Primary Wave Music before an arbitrator weighs in or until the temporary restraining order expires, according to court documents obtained by FOX Business. 

The initial complaint, along with other court documents pertaining to the case, remain under seal. Writing in favor of sealing certain filings, Hall’s attorneys reasoned that it’s a private dispute under an agreement with confidential terms, concerning a confidential arbitration process.

HALL & OATES SINGER DARYL HALL GRANTED RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST BANDMATE JOHN OATES

Representatives for neither Hall nor Oates responded to FOX Business’ immediate request for comment.

The legal battle began on Nov. 16 when Hall sued Oates in Nashville, Tennessee, according to the court docket. The lawsuit is sealed by court order, but is listed under the category of contract/debt. The temporary restraining order was granted Nov. 24.

The two men formed the pop-rock band Hall & Oates in the 1970s, and while they’ve never officially broken up, both Hall and Oates have carried on solo careers for years.

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Hall made it clear there was a separation between him and Oates in a 2022 interview.

“You think John Oates is my partner?… He’s my business partner,” Hall said during an appearance on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast. “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.”

Hall used the example of the band’s song “Kiss on My List” to prove how separate the two were. While Oates is listed as a co-producer on the track, he is not listed as a songwriter.

“I did all those [harmonies],” Hall said. “That’s all me.”

Hall & Oates released their debut album “Whole Oats” in 1972. Since their start, they have put out 18 studio albums and scored six No. 1 singles. Some of Hall & Oates’ biggest hits include “Rich Girl,” “Maneater” and “You Make My Dreams.”

The two toured together as recently as October 2022, according to Variety.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.