Daryl Hall on the Music Industry and a New Season of His Hit Show
Daryl Hall has been entertaining audiences since the 1970’s as part of Hall & Oates, who had such hits as “Sara Smile” and “Maneater.” And even into 2016, he’s still wooing audiences with another season of his hit music show Live from Daryl’s House.
According to The Journal News, each episode has Hall inviting top musicians to his club in Pawling, N.Y. (appropriately called Daryl’s House) to perform a mixture of both the guest artist’s and Hall & Oates’ most well known songs.
The new season premiered on May 5 on MTV Live and will feature diverse acts like The O’Jays, Elle King, and Kenny Loggins. Past guests have included Joe Walsh of the Eagles, Fitz & The Tantrums, Aaron Neville, and many more.
“People are so used to seeing me in an intimate environment, that they almost feel like they already know me and have been in my house,” said Hall, who used to film the series at his actual house in Millerton, N.Y.
Live from Daryl’s House first premiered in 2007 as an monthly web show after Hall had the simple idea of jamming with friends and putting it up online, according to the official website for the series. It has since won rave reviews from many including Rolling Stone, BBC, and blogger Bob Lefsetz, who called the concept “a perfect example of a veteran artist reinventing himself in the digital age by collaborating with both established colleagues and newer performers.”
The Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Famer initially wanted to bring the series to TV, but many felt that the format was too relaxed and it wouldn’t succeeded if it didn’t have a contest like American Idol.
“I laughed and said I’m going to do this my way on the Internet,” said Hall. “It’s allowed the show to be flexible and grow with a freedom of format organically. That makes it truly unique.”
As reported by Ultimate Classic Rock, Daryl Hall believes that the series could be used as a model for the music industry. However, many industry executives have resisted offers for their younger artists to perform on the series, claiming that “they think anything new is the enemy.”
“If I was the head of Atlantic Records, and not to single them out, I would start an internet show, and I would pair my young artists with my older artists for every broadcast,” said Hall. “They have a big enough name. They’re as big as me.”
Hall went on to say that many artists are successful now solely on their live shows with the hope that fans will support them, and that record companies aren’t very open to change.
He continued, “Record company executives are the most backward bunch of idiots I’ve ever seen in my life. They are probably only surpassed by television executives.”
On top of the series, Daryl Hall is also working on a new solo album due for release in either late 2016 or early 2017, and he’s been on tour with John Oates since May 13. The tour which also features Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings will wrap up on September 23 in Las Vegas.
In an interview for Salon, Daryl Hall was asked about the new album which he dubbed as “a real soul record,” and his dislike of the term “blue eyed soul.”
“There is no color to soul. Soul music comes from the heart,” said Hall. “It was generated out of the church, and it became secular gospel.”
[Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images]
