Posted on 08/12/2013 11:08:14 AM PDT by grundle
Hall & Oates has never won a Grammy but the No. 1 selling duo of all time has won something else: hipster respect.
Putting aside those shoulder pads for a moment, Daryl Hall and John Oates looked like hand-picked opposites: The lanky blond Hall called himself the "more flamboyant" one, while the shorter dark-haired Oates — with his distinctive 'stache — embraced his role as "worker bee."
But their union came from no design, except by the music gods: The Temple University students met in an elevator, both trying to duck a gunfight that had broken out at the Adelphi Ballroom in 1967. Forty-six years later, they're performing as a duo--again--at Outside Lands in San Francisco on Aug. 11. Not that they ever abandoned their partnership, but the two have been working on solo projects.
Their legions of fans of their Philly soul sound and/or their synthesized '80s pop have been swelling anew — some who are sheepishly acknowledging their GenX affection, others who weren't born when "Sara Smile" peaked at No. 4 on Billboard in 1976. Even critics who swatted Hall & Oates with the "yacht rock" label have been begrudgingly moved by persistent YouTube tributes, movie and TV callouts, social media adulation, even a "Callin' Oates" hotline. Oh yes, and just plain ol' addictive beats.
While the pair have said that there's no creative future for them, they've been keen to be a part of this revival. Let's take a look at what's brought them this musical reincarnation.
(Excerpt) Read more at music.yahoo.com ...
ping
I was never a big fan, but some of the jams I’ve seen from “Live from Daryls House” are pretty darn good:
http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/
Daryl Hall has that weird show on cable where he invites musicians over to his big farm house to jam in the living room. And he ropes them into helping to cook dinner, which they consume while discussing the music biz. Part talk show, part cooking show, part Midnight Special. It’s plain weird!
I like their music. Some of it was truly good. All of it was easy listening.
It was good parking music back in the day...
It’s because they are from the 80s and it’s “ironic” to be into them.
Too bad they cant at least be ironically into Reagan too.
Have always been a big fan of H&O :) Saw them live at the Las Vegas Hilton about 1992 and they put on a great show.
Mark
100% with you there on Grace Potter. Did not see the Booker T one (though I love his stuff). It’s an enjoyable show, just a very strange format.
I remember Hull and Oates from the nineties.
Everytime I’ve seen them Mr. Hall was so intoxicated that he could barely stand.
The guitarist normally on that show ( Paul Pesco) is oustanding
1976?...........now I feel ooooold............
I used to be very dismissive of H&O as pop tripe, then I picked up the album Hall did produced by one of my all time favorites Bob Fripp, made me reconsider the whole catalog. I’m still not a fan, it’s just not my kind of music, but the craft is damn respectable.
How did Hipsters happen?
My son’s theory is that with the demise of traveling circuses, the half-a-bubble-off kids could no longer run away with the circus, and were reduced to moving to Portland.
That his sister moved to Portland has absolutely nothing to do with this theory, nothing whatsoever...
Our local newsrag described one particular Pittsburgh streetcar suburb as “the place where hipsters go to have kids”.
The thought that hipsters are reproducing was a might disconcerting to me.
Along the Red Ledge has remained one of my favorite albums since it came out in the late 1970s.
As Tommy Chong would say, “Oh, wait. Don’t eat that, man.”
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