Superlatives
A Vulture series in which artists judge the best and worst of their own careers.
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(Though, alas, dont expect new music from the two.
Hall explains: Ive changed my mind.
This year has altered a lot of people.
And Im no exception.
Im going to head toward the solo world right now.
Thats what Im thinking about.)
His confidence in his craft and his reverence for a varied cast of heroes are refreshing.
1 reason your band came to be called Hall & Oates
Thats the way it was on our mailbox.
Truthfully, the most impactful albums to me are my solo albums.
Theyre the ones that matter the most to me because I liked the people I worked with.
I find no fault with either of those albums.
With Hall & Oates, there are a lot of songs I would redo.
And Robert and I were friends.
We said, Lets do something together.
Thats whatSacred Songswas, and to some degree [Fripps]Exposureas well.
I felt free over those albums.
I did theSacred Songsalbum in three weeks or something like that.
It was sparse, but it sounded dense.
It had an aural landscape that was unique and in your face.
It was very emotional.
I just have nothing but good things to say about that album.
Id redo You Make My Dreams.
The only one I wouldnt redo maybe is Sara Smile.
Id leave that one alone because its close to perfection.
Best Hall & Oates single
Shes Gone.
Because we wrote that song together.
All the other songs, I wrote.
Also, there was Arif Mardin, who was a genius producer and arranger.
John and I, we were new to that world.
Wed just started with the Atlantic Records group of people.
Shes Gone represents a true Daryl and John collaboration.
Its very unusual for a movie to do that.
80s pop single you wish you had thought of
Anything by Prince.
Little Red Corvette, I pick that one.
Inspirations behind 1985sLive at the Apollo with David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick
My life inspired it.
In Philadelphia, my first records were R&B and soul songs.
And thats what I did.
We did it again at Live Aid.
I loved those guys.
They were good friends of mine.
Favorite Philadelphia soul songs
Anything by the Spinners or the OJays.
Id pick those as my top three.
Best hip-hop song sampling Hall & Oates
Im aware of all of them because I approve them.
I did a song with B-Legit [in 1996].
That was really cool.
It was called Ghetto Smile.
He sampled me, and I actually sang on it.
Thats a good one.
Most underrated album
Most of them.
Least favorite album review
Robert bloody fucking Christgau gaveAbandoned Luncheonettea C. [Ed.
note: It was a B-.]
One of the great albums of the 70s.
So there you go.
Opinion on being categorized as blue-eyed soul
I dont really like it.
Theres a certain kind of racist tokenism that is an underlying connotation with that.
Ive said this before: Nobody ever talks about brown-eyed opera singers.
It would be offensive.
I find it offensive.
Singers who made you want to sing
I cant really say one person.
But, I mean, I started off singing street-corner music and things like that.
Early, early rock and roll and R&B.
I loved his singing style.
I loved what he brought to the table in the world of soul.
I mean, it was gospel music all the way.
He moved me like just about nobody else ever has.
That was definitely a mental influence on me.
Favorite younger artists
I like Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars.
I like that thing theyre doing together, Silk Sonic.
I put some feelers out [to work with them].
I dig those guys.
I like the new soul singers.
I relate to them.
But in our case, Ill say its giving people a lot of space.
Were both very individual people in every way.
And we dont step on each others toes.
And we allow any kind of freedom that one would need.
Theres never been any kind of feeling of competition.
I think a lot of people get mired and weighed down in a competitive thing.
That usually ends in … somebodys going to lose.
Somebodys going to win.
We never went that route.
We have a pretty casual relationship.
Thats what I got to say.
Its more like brothers.
You know your brother.
You dont see your brother that often.
You just have a casual relationship over a period of years.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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