I love this story so much. I adore Hall & Oats and remember first hearing them when I was a kid. Their music is so catchy and fun. If you get one of their songs stuck in a loop in your head (like “Private Eyes” is for me now), it somehow manages to uplift you instead of irritate you. So it’s nice to hear that Hall & Oates aren’t sue happy like nearly the entire recording industry. Some guy started a “Callin’ Oates” hotline where you can call a regular phone number and listen to one of the duos 80s hits for free. Instead of sending the guy a takedown notice, their spokesperson issued a tentative statement that they’re very happy that people still love to listen to their music.
You might think Daryl Hall and John Oates would have a problem with their music being played for free through the crazy popular Callin’ Oates service — but it turns out the guys are thrilled about it … so far.
For the uninitiated … Callin’ Oates is a phone number you can call when you have a “Hall & Oates emergency.” Dial the number ( 719-26-OATES) press a button, and you have a choice between “One on One,” “Rich Girl,” “Maneater,” or “Private Eyes.”
The guys behind the site aren’t affiliated with Hall & Oates at all, but a rep for the group tells us they’re thrilled so many people are calling the number and listening to their music.
The rep tells us, “We had nothing to do with it and we’re still trying to to process what the company’s intentions are. But we’re always happy when people are interested in our music.”
[From TMZ]
They forgot “Kiss on My List,” “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” and “Out of Touch“!
Like all good memes, it wasn’t exactly clear how and why this one got started or if it was an advertisement for something. It turns out to have been a project by a new employee at a company called Twilio, which provides a platform to build voice and text messaging applications. The Atlantic Wire has an article which explains how “Callin’ Oates” came about. Creator Michael Selvidge told The Atlantic that he spent his own money to fund the hotline and keep it running (he wouldn’t say how much, but hinted that it was substantial) and added that he did it as a fan, not someone who wanted to poke fun. “I do sort of recognize the cheesy factor but I actually do appreciate their music and I do actually listen to it and they are one one of my favorite bands. It’s definitely an affectionate thing.” Aw, that kind of warms my heart, just like Hall & Oates’ music.
Here’s a video showing how the hotline works. You can call it yourself at 719-26-OATES. This video will only play in the US, which makes me wonder if some RIAA honcho is going to step in and put the kibosh on this any day now.
Here’s Hall & Oates performing Maneater in 2008. They’ve still got it.
Header photo via Wikipedia and from 2009. Other images are of Hall and Oates performing in 2010. Credit: A. Gilbert / PR Photos
Love this!!! Especially that Hall and Oates are cool wig it. So many celebs are so sue happy that its nice to see some fan appreciation. Plus, its not like the guy is making money off of this.
By the way, now I have Private Eyes stuck in my head. (Sigh) I have visions of hanging in my friends basement and watching MTV for hours on end.
I love it too, lots of good memories of that time. I’ve got “Maneater” on my brain now!
Always loved Hall & Oates’ music. Now I’m gonna go hum “Maneater” for the rest of the day.
The hotline is such a cool idea. BTW, they’ve had sooooo much work done!
Holy plastic surgery, you ain’t kidding. I thought those were SNL actors in the photo.
This is great. I love Hall & Oates!
One of my favourite groups of all time. John Oates has just gotten more good-looking over the years and looks so huggable. Glad to see they are so down-to-earth. 🙂
Love them have so many memories of my childhood attached to their songs!!!Nice to know they are sweet guys.
They’ve both had work done on their faces, right?
Definitely had a lot of work done – but still not as disturbing to me as Oates’ dyed hair and brows. I don’t know why, but it just drives me insane to see that inky black with his pale skin!
However, I do love them as band. I grew up hearing them all of the time, so I feel very nostalgic when I hear one of their songs as I shop or in the car on the radio. So glad that thus far they have not taken action to capitalize on this man’s idea or shut him down.
I too love Hall & Oates from my high school years… along with my unnatural love for Wham! too.
Oh holy cow… neither one of them have jacked with their faces in any obvious way. hahahaha!
It is not as if they are 80 and have some freakish good skin. What are they late 50’s? Maybe 60 years old. Though I do suspect they are fans of Miss Clairol.
Just a random thought… people tend to take care of their over all looks a lot better in the last 3 decades. So even the 60 years olds out there, can still look remarkably fresh. Without going the whole Dr. 90210 route.
There is nothing wrong with Wham! LOL
I have an unnatural love still for Duran Duran. Looking back at Wham! it’s so obvious George was carrying Andrew all those years 🙂 Back to topic…Hall & Oates were so talented…their songs bring back my childhood. I think they found the Fountain of Youth. They look good. I’m going to find some Hall & Oates on Youtube now.
Ahhhh, that is super cool of them!
One of my favorite groups from the 80s. Enduring songs. Enduring melodies. They aren’t even from my era but I love them.
Your Kiss is on My List needs to be added to that hotline immediately.
Love Hall & Oates have seen them in concert twice. at least they have a sense of humor about themselves and the guy doing the hotline isn’t making money off of it
I know it’s not a Hall & Oates song, but this post has got me listening to “Cab Driver.” 🙂
I was lucky enough to score some VIP passes to one of their shows a few years back(well, the husband did and I took them lol), and my mom and I had a great time. She lugged around a huge tote with old records in it, they were more than happy to sign them. Both of them were super nice and gracious to their fans. It made my mom’s night that’s for sure =)
They can do no wrong. That white man’s got soul. I always thought that John Oates was Latino but I guess I could be wrong.
And now I have “I Can’t Go For That” bouncing around in my head, but in a good way.
Love H&O, glad to see so many others here do too.
When I did a semester in Paris in 1984, my friends and I saw Hall and Oates. We went backstage…just to see if we could…and we got to meet the band and everyone was very friendly and nice. None of the French people even tried going backstage! Silly French people!
I’d have to consult a poster to be sure but I think the mustache jumped.
Sarah Smile is still my absolute favorite, but after Psych used Private Eyes in their promos, I couldn’t stop singing it for WEEKS.
I kind of wanna tap that ass known as Hall. His blonde mane and that Mufasaesque face kind of makes feel a little hot and bothered.
Except that my dad’s name is Daryl and he loves Hall & Oates.
Uhgh…game over.
Hall and Oates’ 1982 Melbourne gig was my first live concert. Being a shy adolescent girl, I was flummoxed when I saw Hall at the stage door “in the flesh” and all I could think to do was offer to shake his hand (while many of the girls around me were wishing they could shake something of his further south). Hall was very gracious, formally shaking my hand and chatting with me for several minutes. He was a gentleman in the truest sense of the word. I have always thought very fondly of the band over the years and their response to this phone line is characteristic of their laid-back, fan-friendly approach. “Your Kiss is on My List” is the ultimate ear worm!
Love these guys! All of their songs are great! Ha…”callin Oates”…awesome!
Seen them a few times in concert and they are GREAT.