John Oates says complicated Daryl Hall business partnership was ‘ruining my life’ amid legal battle/lawsuit

John Oates doesn't think he did anything wrong. Daryl Hall disagrees, which is how the former musical partners behind such pop hits as "Rich Girl" and "Maneater" have ended up in a protracted legal battle.

It all started last fall, when Oates moved to sell off his share of the duo's joint business venture Whole Oats Enterprises. Hall initiated a lawsuit against Oates to prevent the sale, and also got a restraining order against him.

In a new interview with Michael Strahan on Good Morning America, Oates defended his actions.

"When this whole situation got mired in legality and really complex legal wranglings, I got frustrated," Oates said. "And I said, 'You know what? Daryl has always wanted to be his own man.' I said, 'I'm gonna give him the opportunity to do that. If I sell my half, he can either, you know, he can do what he wants.'"

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Oates continued, "It was kinda ruining my life, to be honest with you…I wasn't happy. And I said, 'Well, I'll just step aside,' people do it all the time. I mean, you look at all the artists who are selling all their catalogs…it's pretty common…It's not that big a deal. But Daryl didn't like the idea that I would sell to a certain third party."

Hall argued in his lawsuit that Oates was not allowed to sell his shares in the business without first getting approval from him. Oates' lawyer, has pushed back by saying in court that “Mr. Oates has proceeded exactly as he was allowed to proceed. Mr. Hall could have done the exact same thing himself.”

Speaking with Strahan, Oates says the dissolution of their partnership allows both Hall and himself to pursue their own artistic ventures. Indeed, Oates just released his latest solo album, Reunion, this week. To hear him tell it, this is what they both always wanted.

"We've always looked at ourselves as individuals working together," Oates said. "And I felt like I had the right to do that. But, you know, he didn't."