Release of his first solo live concert DVD also debuted
After three decades of being the “other half” in the most popular duo in musical history, John Oates has ventured out on his own. And he’s picked Los Angeles to debut his first solo live concert DVD, as well as perform alone.
Oates in 2002 made his first CD without his longtime partner, Daryl Hall. For 30 years, the two musicians have continuously produced hit after hit, making them household names since the 1970s.
Oates’ first solo project, “Phunk Shui,” as well as the release of a new DVD, “Live at the Historic Wheeler Opera House,” will be highlighted in a live performance by Oates at the Roxy in Hollywood next Tuesday, May 4.
The DVD is a recording of a sold-out concert in December at the opera house in Aspen, Colo., where Oates lives with his wife, Aimee, and his son, Tanner. The DVD captures an evening of stories and songs accompanied by “Little Blue,” an Aspen-based band that Oates regularly performs with. And what may be surprising for those not familiar with Oates as a solo artist, is that the guy can really sing and has quite a sense of humor. He proves that on the DVD — Oates is at his best sharing music and humorous insights with the audience.
“When they see the DVD they’ll see the more personal side of the songs,” Oates said. “There are anecdotes and funny stories about how they were written and the context they were written in.”
In addition to live concert footage, there are three never before released music videos, one of which stars Paris Hilton as the “It Girl” and another “Color of Love,” filmed on a Hollywood rooftop. Viewers also can see the making of “Phunk Shui,” which is a behind-the-scenes look at the people and spirit that went into the creation of the album. And like any respectable ski bum, Oates has included a segment on Telemark skiing set in the breathtaking scenery of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.
The collection of songs on the CD are a blend of ’70s inspired funk and acoustic soul. Perhaps the most remarkable part of his latest journey is that Oates put his CD together in less than a month.
“The whole thing came together for me one night in my studio when I discovered an old demo tape, on it were four songs I had totally forgotten about that just blew me away,” Oates said. “But the most amazing thing about them was the fact that they seemed to mesh seamlessly with the new songs that I had been writing.
“It’s cool that after all this time, I can do whatever I want without being restricted by anyone’s expectations.” — Oates said
“I feel I am in a unique position, in that people really don’t know what to expect from me musically and yet my name is so familiar to them,”
“I assembled the material in a random order, burned a CD and suddenly, I had an album.”
The songs are a well-crafted collection of sure to be pop classics, many written in collaboration with writers such as Keith Follese, Jed Leiber, Arthur Baker and Steve Postell. And the band is just as killer: Steve Holley on drums; Tom “T- Bone” Wolk on bass; Lieber on keyboards and Oates on guitar.
The sound is a blend of funk and acoustic soul.
“I knew that these songs needed to be played,” he said. “I wanted a band feel to this project. I wanted to get back to sitting in a studio playing live and catching a vibe with great musicians. The most important thing for me was rediscovering the spontaneity and joy in the recording process.”
And while he spent much of his musical career with Hall & Oates as the supporting singer, Oates comes out amazingly strong in his latest endeavor. “... I did almost all of the vocals myself,” he said. “I enjoy working out and layering background arrangements. On the lead vocals, I was very conscious of delivering and doing justice to the lyrics. It’s kind of an ‘old school’ approach but to me it’s all about making the listener believe that the singer believes.”
Oates’ schedule is hectic these days as he tours around the country promoting the DVD. He also is finishing a new CD with Daryl Hall, which is expected to be released this fall. A single from the untitled album is expected to be released in August. Oates describes the music as soul classics in their style with a modern twist.
Hall & Oates also is performing with the Average White Band and Michael McDonald from the Doobie Brothers in a tour called the “Rock and Soul Review,” which Oates describes as their own version of Lollapalooza. The tour should hit the LA area and portions of California this fall. They are scheduled to perform at the Universal Amphitheater on Oct. 15.
Hall & Oates have released two albums since 1996 — “Marigold Sky” and “Do It For Love,” which garnered a No. 1 single last year.
Oates will perform solo at the Roxy on May 4. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (310) 278-9457 or at Ticketmaster. Tickets are $20.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 30, 2004. Read the original PDF.