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Hall and Oates... A Pretty Sweet Musical Group by frankie koeller I'll never forget the time I first noticed a curious and entrancing static coming from my parents kitchen radio speaker. It was then that I realized that I wanted to be inside that radio forever. Not in a way that would make me feel pain, or experience despondency, but in a way where I was a part of something magical. That "magic" is what we now know as modern music. And what I mean by "modern music" is not a caveman farting; that would be called "traditional music." What I mean by "modern music" is music that is pleasing to the ears (as opposed to painful to the nose). For me, "modern music" begins with Hall & Oates. These handsome chaps came onto the scene sometime in the early seventies, when the world was preoccupied with handsome rock and rollers. They proceeded to kick ass. Musical ass! To the astonishment of music critics everwhere, their first release was a 'Greatest Hits' album, comprised of early demos recorded in Daryls' mom's garage. Legend has it, John Oates would show up to the garage so high, that when it came time to record, all he could get accomplished was crying into the microphone like a sad little baby boy. Thus the 1st song on the album was called 'I'm sorry.' The rest of the album is kind of embarrassing hippy poetry over pre-disco casio beats. Their next 52 albums showed Hall and Oates veering way off their art-folk disposition, and more towards experimental crap. Albums such as 'War Babies', 'Abandoned Luncheonette', and 'I wish I could afford a Box to sleep On', showed the duo attempting to play party metal, white reggae, terrible rap, classical funk, more party metal, easy listening, and instructional music. They also spent some time as a cover band playing Peabo Bryson songs. Despite these early lackluster recordings, they finally hit their stride in 1981 when they released the amazing and super-sweet 'Private Eyes'. Eleven songs of new wave/pop shit that the kids go gah-gah over, along with their own brand of philly-soul. Some serious hooks are present on this recording. Musical ass hooks! 'Private Eyes', 'Looking for a Good Sign' and 'I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)' are all true blazers. De La Soul got a hold of one of these songs and made a delicious beat out of it. I can't remember which one though. They put out about 117 other albums after 'Private Eyes' throughout the eighties and nineties. A few more 'Greatest Hits' albums, along with a few solo albums. Daryl Hall's unforgettable solo debut, 'I Think John Is In Love With Me, And It's Kind of Freaking Me Out', was a real success on the charts but didn't receive the critical acclaim it deserved in this author's eyes. In the end, the old friends put aside their differences and got married last year at the 1st Baptist Chuch in downtown Los Angeles. To the horror of onlookers, Darryl Hall played the role of 'male'. John refused to shave his moustache and pretty much ruined the whole day. They are currently living in different states, but are planning another world tour. Take a chance and go and see them next time they're in your town. You may be in for a real treat. Or not. I don't know. |
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