Getting Hall & Oates on the record about iconic album
here was a time in the mid to late-1970s when fans and curiosity seekers would search out a dilapidated diner that sat in a wooded area just off Route 724 in Kenilworth.
Souvenir hunters eventually picked apart the already long-ignored structure, which at one time had been the Rosedale Diner in Pottstown.
Daryl Hall still has some pieces of the old diner. “Fans came from all over the world. And unfortunately for the guy who owned it, they basically destroyed it, they ripped it apart tile by tile, piece by piece,” said Hall.
“Somebody gave me some tiles from it over the years. I’ve gotten little pieces of it from fans. That’s really an unusual story.”
Indeed it is. But over the past 40 years, it’s remained an iconic story not only for the locals but for anyone who’s a fan of Daryl Hall and John Oates, the most successful duo in the history of rock ’n’ roll.
That’s because the old Rosedale Diner, after it stopped being the Rosedale Diner on High Street in Pottstown and was moved outside of town and essentially left to die in East Coventry Township, became the “Abandoned Luncheonette” and a picture of it served as the cover art on Hall & Oates’ second album.
That album, also titled “Abandoned Luncheonette,” essentially put the local musicians — Hall from Pottstown and a graduate of Owen J. Roberts High School and Oates from North Wales and a graduate of North Penn High School — on the road to superstardom.
It’s been 40 years since the now-iconic album’s release in 1973, and both Hall and Oates remain proud of the record. Oates goes as far as to say it’s his favorite Hall & Oates album ever.
“There’s something about it that’s very, very special,” said Oates in a recent interview from his home in Nashville. “You can’t plan something like that; it just happens. The very fact is that I’m playing the songs to this day and People often ask me where story ideas and column topics come from and the simple answer is that sometimes they just happen when you least expect it.
Such was the case recently involving an old vinyl record. There is a story in this week’s paper about the 40th anniversary of the release of what’s become an iconic album, back when vinyl records was how we listened to our music.
In 1973, Daryl Hall and John Oates released their second studio album, “Abandoned Luncheonette.” Although it had only moderate success early on, Hall & Oates would eventually go on to superstardom and “Abandoned Luncheonette” is generally now considered one of their earliest masterpieces.
The historical rock and roll significance of the album is enhanced for those of us who live in this area because of the photo on the front of the album, which features an old, dilapidated diner that used to be known as the Rosedale Diner that sat at they sound just as good as the day we wrote them.”
Both artists recall the significant role the diner played in the marketing of the album. Hall — born Daryl Hohl in Pottstown – remembers his parents taking him to the Rosedale Diner as a young boy when it was located on High Street. The diner’s owner was Talmadge W. “Bill” Faulk.
When Faulk closed the diner in the mid-1960s, he had the structure moved a few miles outside of Pottstown to some land he owned along Route 724. And its new resting place was right near where Daryl Hall’s grandmother lived.
For Hall & Oates’ second album, Hall had written a song he called “Abandoned Luncheonette.”
“If you look at the lyrics of that song, even as a kid I knew that only the strong survive,” said Hall in a recent interview from his home in New York. “I’ve used that theme — the strong give up and move on and the weak give up and stay — to say that the idea is that you have to make something of your life. You have to go for it. And I guess life has proven me right about that — at least in my case.”
Hall said the song is written about people who give up and people who do something with their lives.
“It could have been called ‘Abandoned Lives.’ It was about people who gave up and wound up in the same place they started in, only not even as good.”
He said that when it came time to name the album, he and Oates decided to call it “Abandoned Luncheonette.” And when they considered what the album cover would look like, Hall recalled the abandoned diner near his grandmother’s house outside of Pottstown.
“So I said, ‘This place is all falling down. Let’s take a photographer up there and take a picture.’ So that’s what we did,” said Hall. the corner of High and Rosedale streets in Pottstown.
That Hall and Oates are local guys — Oates was raised in North Wales and graduated from North Penn High School and Hall lived just outside of Pottstown and graduated from Owen J. Roberts High School — is a well-known fact to many in this area.
And that is the backdrop to this story.
As a kid growing up in central Illinois, my folks had a record collection that consisted of a lot of popular music from the late 1950s and early to mid-1960s. I used to wear out albums by Elvis, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Association and many more.
By the time the 1970s rolled around and I got to high school, I was more into eight-track tapes, cassettes, big bushy sideburns and bellbottomed pants. (Seventies suave indeed.) I never had my own record collection.
It’s more than 35 years later now and I recently decided to change that. For Christmas last year, The Blonde Accountant got me a turntable because I wanted to start a record collection. “The cops came and threw us out because we were trespassing on somebody’s property. But we did manage to get the pictures and that’s where the concept of the cover came from. It didn’t really come from the song itself; it was just coincidental.”
In a news story that appeared in the Pottstown Mercury on Jan. 27, 1983, Faulk recalled the day in the summer of 1973 when “the two record kids” came to him and asked permission to take a photograph of the diner for the cover of their new album. My original premise was that I wanted to hear the early work of some of my favorite artists and my thinking was that listening to it on vinyl would offer me the purest form of the music.
It has become a process for me. I spend some time researching a band and its music, choose an album I think I’d like to have in my collection, and then go to the record store in search of the album.
Fortunately, there are still a few record stores around, and there’s a certain nostalgic charm to going into one and searching through the albums.
A few weeks ago I was on the trail of “Abandoned Luncheonette.” I suspect that since I didn’t grow up here on the East Coast, I was unaware of the early Hall & Oates stuff because it didn’t have wide penetration back then in the Midwest. So I had never really heard the entire album as a single body of work.
Anyone who’s a treasure hunter of sorts – be it at an
“I knew the one boy, he was nice . . . poor like me,” Faulk said in the 1983 story, referring to Hall. “I said they could take a picture of it, but not go inside. It’s dangerous in there. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. They went inside anyway.”
Forty years later, Oates confirms that account of the story.
“We basically broke into the diner and took the picture that appears on the back of the album,” said Oates.
Oates added that the photog- antique store, garage sale or baseball card show – knows the feeling of actually finding that one thing you’ve been searching for, and that’s what happened to me with “Abandoned Luncheonette.”
It was sitting in plain sight in one of the bins, and I spotted it literally as I walked in the door of the Vinyl Closet, a delightful little record shop on Main Street in North Wales owned by Jason McFarland (www. thevinylcloset. com).
I got the album for $1 and it’s in fabulous shape. Naturally, I rushed home to play it on my new turntable and it’s absolutely wonderful. I was listening to the early stages of what we now know as “Philly soul” or the “sound of Philadelphia” and it was and is a really cool vibe.
As I was examining the cover art, I flipped the record over and was reading the information on the back. There, at the bottom in small print were the words, “1973 Atlantic Recording Corpora- rapher, credited as “B. Wilson” on the inside sleeve of the album, was Barbara Wilson, his girlfriend at the time. She was a student then at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. A teacher of hers at the school worked with the album cover picture and gave it that “hand colored” look, according to Oates.
“I look back and it’s one of the great album covers,” said Hall. “It was one of those things that just worked. It speaks as a tion.”
Hey, I thought to myself, this year is the 40th anniversary of the release of that album. I wonder if Daryl and John would want talk about it?
And that’s how a story idea is born. All I needed to do was execute.
Fortunately, I have interviewed both Hall and Oates several times over the years. I have a good relationship with their manager, Jonathan Wolfson, and he has without fail always honored my interview requests and hooked me up with both artists. Hall & Oates themselves have also both been gracious with their time and their willingness to answer my questions numerous times.
I emailed Wolfson and he responded the same day saying he thought that a story on the anniversary of “Abandoned Luncheonette” was “a great idea” and that he would make Daryl and John available for interviews.
Within a week I had both artists on the phone in separate interviews. John apparently is getting used to talking to me, I guess, because he started the latest conversation with, “Hi Mike, here we go again, huh?” He added that he was unaware that it was the 40th anniversary of the album until the interview request had been made.
Both Daryl and John shared their recollections about making “Abandoned Luncheonette” and the story of how they got the now-famous photographs that grace the front and back covers of the album from a forgotten diner that once rested on the outskirts of Pottstown just off Route 724. You can read all about that in the story that accompanies this column.
It all started because I found an album at a local record store for a dollar, took it home and listened to it and discovered the early sounds of Philly soul. Everything old was new again.
Man, I love it when a plan comes full circle.
Mike Morsch is executive editor of Montgomery Media and author of the book, “Dancing in My Underwear: The Soundtrack of My Life.” He can be reached by calling 215-542-0200, ext. 415 or by email at msquared35@ yahoo.com. This column can also be found at www.montgomerynews.com.
• Blooming Glen Mennonite Church, 713 Blooming Glen Rd., Blooming Glen, holds Sunday worship at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday school for all ages following worship at 10:45 a.m. Childcare is provided for infants and toddlers.
Guests and visitors are invited to the hospitality center for coffee and conversation.
The church officials are Firman Gingerich, lead pastor; Mary Nitzsche, pastor of pastoral care/spiritual formation; Donna Wilkins, interim youth pastor; Michael Bishop, pastor of music and worship; and Kim Moyer, children’s ministry director.
The church is accessible to those who experience physical challenges.
Information: 215-2573431 or visit www.bgmc.net.
• Bethel Baptist Church, 754 E. Rockhill Rd., Sellersville, holds a worship service each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Services are offered for children four years through high school. Nursery is provided for children up to three years old.
Bible Study classes are held at 9:30 a.m., and an evening service is held at 6 p.m. Nursery care is available, and services are interpreted for the hearing impaired.
Information: 215-536-9200.
• First Presbyterian Church, Fifth and Race Streets, Perkasie, offers a worship service at 9:30 a.m. and a Sunday school class at 11 a.m.
The Wednesday Study Group meets at 1 p.m.
The congregation is a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.
Videos of our services may be viewed on our website.
Information: visit www. firstchurchopc.org or call 215-257-2956.
• First United Methodist Church, 501 W. Market St., Perkasie, offers a breakfast fellowship at 8 a.m.; a contemporary worship service at 8:30 a.m. and a traditional worship service at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday. Nursery will be provided for infants and toddlers. B.A.S.I.C. and Sunday school for all ages at 9:30 a.m.
Information: 215-2574626 or visit www.fumcperkasie.com.
• Good News Church holds a worship service each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at 424 Juniper St., nuakertown. Children’s church is provided. David Markey Jr. is pastor. Information: 215536-4393.
• Grace United Methodist Church, 295 S. Main St., Telford, holds an early bird worship service at 8 a.m. and a 10:15 a.m. worship service; nursery provided at 10:15 a.m. Sunday school classes for all ages begin at 9 a.m.
Grace Sweet Shoppe opens at 9:50 a.m.
Grace’s Closet is open from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Hispanic Worship will be held from 2-5 p.m. in the chapel.
The YES Group luncheon will be held Monday at 11:30 a.m.
The Middle School Youth Group will meet Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. and Aerobics at 6:30 p.m.
Bible Study will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Senior High Youth Group meets from 6-8 p.m., and FROG Group at 7 p.m.
Aerobics will be held Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Grace Singers Rehearsal at 7 p.m. and Hispanic Worship at 7 p.m. in the chapel.
Hispanic Youth Service will meet Friday from 7-10 p.m. in the chapel.
An All-You-Can-Eat Spa- ghetti Dinner (open to the public) will be held Saturday, Feb. 23 from 4-7 p.m.
Nancy Haigh Ross is the pastor.
Information: 215-723-2144.
• Jerusalem Lutheran Church, 733 Ridge Rd., Sellersville, holds worship services each Sunday at 10:15 a.m. Sunday school is at 9 a.m. The church is handicapped-accessible.
Information: 215-257-9423.
• Peace-Tohickon Lutheran Church, 100 Old Bethlehem Rd., Perkasie, holds worship services at 8:15 and 10:15 a.m. Sunday school for all ages (including an adult discussion group) is held at 9 a.m.
A New Spirit contemporary family worship service is held on the third Sunday of each month.
The sanctuary is handicapped accessible.
“Children Friendly” – all are welcome – Be at Peace!
Rev. Serena Sellers is the pastor.
Information: 215-2573294, visit www.peace-tohickon.org or friend us on Facebook!
• Pennridge Christian Fellowship formerly Pennridge Full Gospel Tabernacle, 720 Blooming Glen Rd., just off Route 113 in Blooming Glen, holds Sunday worship at 10:30 a.m. with Spanish interpretation. Sunday school is after the worship service for infants to age 12. Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. is prayer and praise, Crossroads youth, and during September to April there is boys’ and girls’ clubs. Small groups meet throughout the week.
Everyone is welcome. piece of art, really. I kind of wish album covers were still around.”
Bill Faulk is also credited on the inside cover sleeve: “Luncheonette courtesy of The Man on Route 724.”
The diner became a Pottstown attraction. But as Hall and Oates continued to rise to fame, fans from all over flocked to the diner to pick off pieces of it as souvenirs. It went from being merely dilapidated to being completely destroyed.
The 1983 Mercury story mentioned that representatives from the management company for Hall & Oates at the time had been in talks with Faulk to buy the diner.
“I’d love to sell it,” said Faulk in the 1983 story. “It’s been destroyed by their fans over the years. They might as well buy it.”
But the deal never went down, likely because the diner was in such bad condition by 1983.
“I was real glad to see the boys make it,” said Faulk at the time. “They sent me an autographed copy of the album and a T-shirt. From then on, everyone wanted a piece of it [the diner]. I was always chasing people away from it.”
Hall said he doesn’t remember specifics on whether he and Oates wanted to buy the diner or what their level of interest in it was at the time.
“I may have said that; I may have thought that [buying the diner],” said Hall. “But my relationship with the guy that owned the place was not the greatest. He sort of blamed me and John for destroying his property.”
Bill Faulk died in 2007 and the famous diner — which sat adjacent to the entrance of Towpath Park in East Coventry Township — was eventually demolished in the early 1980s in a controlled burn by Ridge Fire Company.
Another bit of rock ’n’ roll history — which diehard Hall & Oates fans will likely know — related to the “Abandoned Luncheonette” album involves the Oatespenned song “Las Vegas Turnaround.”
According to Oates, he had met a flight attendant — they were called “stewardesses” back then — and a girlfriend on the street in New York sometime in the early 1970s and struck up a conversation with the two of them. The flight attendant’s name was Sara, and during their discussion, Sara mentioned that she and her friend were getting ready to do a “Las Vegas turnaround.”
“I didn’t know what they were talking about,” said Oates. “They told me, ‘Oh, that’s where we take a group of gamblers out to Las Vegas and then we just turn around and come back.’ That’s the type of thing a songwriter hears and turns into a song.”
Oates would eventually introduce Sara Allen to Hall, the two of them would start a relationship that lasted more than 30 years and she would become the inspiration for the song “Sara Smile,” the duo’s first Top 10 hit reaching all the way to No. 4 in 1976.
Unlike Oates, Hall won’t come right out and call “Abandoned Luncheonette” his favorite Hall & Oates album. But . . .
“It was one of my favorite experiences, I’ll say that,” said Hall. “I guess I would equate that with a favorite album.”
• Perkasie Mennonite Church, Fourth and Chestnut streets, Perkasie, holds worship services each Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. Sunday school classes for all ages begin at 11 a.m.
Nursery care is provided throughout the morning.
Faith & Light group meets the second Friday of each month at 7 p.m. This is an ecumenical community group that meets for fellowship and worship for persons with intellectual disabilities, family and friends. The gifts of Faith & Light are friendship, acceptance, and a place to share their gifts, deepening spiritual awareness, encouragement and celebration. The name “Circle of Hope” was chosen as the group name.
The church is handicapped accessible.
Information: 215-2573117 or www.perkmenno. org.
• Presbyterian Church of Deep Run, Route 113 and Elephant Road, Bedminster Twp., holds a worship service with Sunday school and child care each Sunday at 9:30 a.m.
Information: 215-2493689 or www.pcdeeprun. org.
• Ridge Valley United Church of Christ, 905 Allentown Rd., West Rockhill, holds services at 8 and 10:30 a.m.
Information: 7244.
• Rockhill Mennonite Church, 3100 Meetinghouse Rd., Telford, holds services beginning with Sunday school at 9 a.m. and a blended worship service at 10:10 a.m. Childcare is provided at all services.
Junior and senior youth groups have a variety of activities throughout the month. The church also offers a variety of programs and ministry opportunities for all ages.
Pennridge Christian Academy is an early childhood education center for infants through kindergarten in operation Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
Information: 215-257-7309 or www.pennridgecf.org.
• Penn Valley Church, 320 N. Third St., Telford, will begin each Sunday with Prayer at 9 a.m. followed by the morning worship at 10:15 a.m. Nursery and children’s church are provided during the worship service.
Family Night is held Wednesdays from 6:45-8:15 p.m. offering children’s instruction, youth group and classes for adults.
Penn Valley also offers a coffeehouse ministry “From the Ground Up.”
Information: 215-7235890 or www.pvcwired. com.
215-257-
Larry Moyer is the senior pastor.
Information: 215-7237780 or www.rockhillmc. org.
• St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Dill Avenue & Chestnut Street, Perkasie, holds a worship service each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. An 8 a.m. Service of Holy Communion is also offered on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Sunday school for all ages begins at 9 a.m.
Information: 215-2576184 or www.saelcperkasie. org.
• St. Andrew’s United Church of Christ, 615 E. Walnut St., Perkasie, holds a worship service at 10:15 a.m. Sunday school is at 9 a.m.
Bible study will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m.; at 7 p.m., evening Bible study “Anticipating Fulfillment.”
Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. children’s choir meets; at 7 p.m. senior choir and guitar group; and at 7:30 p.m. the worship team will meet.
Thursday at 7:30 p.m., the bell choir will rehearse.
Information: 215-2572880 or www.standrewsucc. org.
• St. John’s Lutheran Church Ridge Valley, 910 Allentown Rd., West Rockh-
• St. Agnes Church, 443 N. Main St., Sellersville, offers mass every Sunday at 8 and 10 a.m. and at noon. Monday through Friday, mass is celebrated at 8 a.m. There is also a 9:30 a.m. mass Fridays except during summer months. There is a weekly Saturday mass at 9 a.m. and a Saturday vigil at 5:15 p.m. On holy days vigils will be held at 9 a.m. and 5:15 and 7:30 p.m.
Information: 215-2572128. ill, will hold a traditional service with choir at 9 a.m. and an informal worship service with praise band at 10:45 a.m. Coffee and conversation follow each service. Childcare is available during the 9 a.m. service. Sunday school is held at 10:15 a.m.
Sundays in February, the Girl Scouts will be participating in Girl Scout Cookies for U.S. Military Troops across the globe.
Souper Cooks/Comfort Crafters meet the second Monday of each month at 9 a.m. Visitors are welcome. The church is handicap accessible.
The Rev. Amy Hotter is the pastor.
Information: 215-2579643 or www.stjohns-ridgevalley.com.
• St. Luke’s United Church of Christ, 141 S. Main St., Dublin, holds a Sunday worship service at 10:30 a.m.
The choir rehearses Mondays at 7 p.m.
Information: 3211.
215-249-
• St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 3668 Ridge Rd., Perkasie, holds Sunday worship services at 7:45 and 10:15 a.m. Koinonia Cafe starts at 8:30 a.m. with fair trade coffee and baked goods prepared by the youth. Sunday school for all ages begins at 9 a.m.
Information: 215-7952965, or visit www.kellerschurch.org.
• St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 25 E. Church St., Sellersville, holds traditional worship services each Sunday at 8 and 10:30 a.m. and a contemporary worship service, the New Creation Gathering, is held at 9:15 a.m. in the fellowship hall. This service offers a differ- ent option to both church members and to neighbors in the Sellersville and surrounding communities who are currently unaffiliated. It allows and encourages people to ask questions, explore their faith and express their concerns in a freestyle forum. An audio/visual system in the fellowship hall adds a new venue for St. Michael’s to share its mission of outreach to the area.
The learning hour begins at 9:15 a.m.
Information: 215-2576040 or visit www.smelc. org.
• St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 107 W. Lincoln Ave., Telford, holds Sunday worship services at 8:15 and 10:45 a.m. The First and Third Sundays at 9:30 a.m. is Family Time - a multi generational Sunday school and worship service. The Feast and Celebration worship service is held the First Sunday at 10:45 a.m. and the Third Sunday at 6 p.m.
Information: 215-7238981 or www.stpaulstelford. org.
• St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 104 Green St., Sellersville, holds a worship service at 8 and 10:15 a.m. Sunday school for all ages begins at 9 a.m.
Sunday, Feb. 17, the First Sunday in Lent will be observed with Holy Communion. A congregational lunch immediately follows the late worship service in the fellowship hall.
A Tot Time Program, for children ages one through three, and their parent/caregiver, will be held Monday mornings from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Younger siblings may accompany their older siblings. To register, call 215257-7268.
Prayer Shawl Ministry is held the first and third Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m.
Choir rehearsal is held Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
Rev. Patti Thomas is the Pastor.
Information: 215-2577268 or www.stpaulsucc. net.
• St. Peter’s Covenant Church of Hilltown, 1006 Hilltown Pike, Hilltown, holds a worship service at 10:15 a.m. with nursery provided. Sunday school for all ages begins at 9 a.m.
Information: 215-8229375.
• St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 1530 Augsburg Drive, Hilltown, holds worship services each Sunday at 8 and 10:45 a.m. with a contemporary family service at 9:15 a.m. Christian education classes for all ages begin at 9:15 a.m.
The quilters meet the second and third Tuesday of the month.
The brunch bunch meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month.
Information: 215-8229108 or www.stpeterslchilltown.org.
• St. Peter’s Tohickon United Church of Christ, 1071 Old Bethlehem Rd., Perkasie, holds a worship service each Sunday at 10:15 a.m.
Sunday school classes for children of all ages meet at 9:30 a.m. Adult Sunday school classes meet the last Sunday of the month at 8:45 a.m. All are welcome. Bible study meets Tuesdays at 1 p.m. in the Parish House.
Information: 215-2574633 or www.stpetersucc. org.
• St. Stephen’s United Church of Christ, 110 N. Sixth St., Perkasie, holds Sunday worship services at 9:30 a.m.
Adult Bible study and Sunday school classes start at 10:30 a.m.
Information: 215-2576460 or 215-257-8676.
• Silverdale Brethren in Christ Church, 165 W. Main St. (Route 113), Silverdale, holds a 10:30 a.m. service.
Sunday school for every age is held at 9:30 a.m.
The midweek service, youth group and kids clubs are held Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
Women’s Bible Study will meet Thursdays at 1 and 7 p.m.
Information: 4272.
215-257-
• Solomon’s United Church of Christ, 2990 Bedminster Rd., Perkasie, holds Sunday worship service at 10:20 a.m.
Information: 2668.
215-795-