Hall & Oates getting a lot of mileage out of the old hits
Hall & Oates are more than 35 years removed from their biggest hits and still managing to get more popular by the year.
On this visit, the biggest-selling pop duo of all time is making the jump from Stage AE to a headlining slot at PPG Paints Arena with Tears for Fears.
“It’s crazy, huh?” John Oates says in a phone interview. “What is going on is the word is out that we put on a pretty good show. The word is out that we have a great band, and the word’s been out for 40 years that we have great songs.
“You know, I’ve never said those words, but I guess this morning my brain’s working.” The previous night, the guitarist and singer from Philadelphia had been to his first NHL game, to see the Predators beat the Penguins in Nashville, where he’s lived since 2010.
“I went with my best friend who’s from Pittsburgh and is a diehard Penguins fan, so I have dual allegiances, especially being from Pennsylvania,” he says.
That friend happens to be John Esposito, the CEO and president of Warner Music Nashville, which released Mr. Oates’ 2015 solo documentary/concert DVD, “Another Good Road.” The 69-year-old Oates has an active solo career on the side, but for the summer, he’s teamed with his old partner Daryl Hall on another greatest hits tour.
“Younger fans have turned on to us,” he says, getting back to the jump in H&O’s popularity, “and they’re the fans predominantly that want to go to the bigger venues. Our fan base has skewed way lower. We have teenagers and 20s