Whether they like it or not, Hall & Oates will probably be forever identified with ’80s cheesiness.
The silly soft-focus videos, bad hairstyles and John Oates’ porn mustache burned them into the memories of music fans in the worst way. But the Philadelphia soul duo (who play Madison Square Garden tonight) are way cooler than they get credit for, and here are five reasons why.
They ruled Live Aid
Hall & Oates rocked the Philadelphia leg of the 1985 charity event. “We played our set, but then we also backed Mick Jagger and Tina Turner,” Daryl Hall tells The Post. “We knew immediately that we’d just done something historical and significant.”
They used to be buddies with David Bowie
Back when Bowie was Ziggy Stardust, an earlier, folkier version of Hall & Oates opened for him on his American tour in 1972, and they kept in touch. “One time I ran into him in Jamaica,” remembers Hall. “We went to the Playboy Club and got drunk while watching a bad reggae band!”
They don’t do pretention
Hall & Oates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, but despite the honor, the pomposity of the event and overlong acceptance speeches left them cold. “It’s the most boring night in the world, if you ask me,” says Hall.
They know the best cheesesteaks are actually in New Jersey
Debates about the best place to get Philadelphia’s signature dish are never-ending, but Hall controversially argues that the best cheesesteak is at the White House in Atlantic City. “These days, I eat them without the bread!”
They have the secret to a long career
Hall & Oates once shared apartments, but they live separate lives now. “We’re not always on top of each other — that’s one of the reasons we’ve stayed together for more than 40 years,” concludes Hall. “The main thing we have in common is our love of music.”