‘Do you want the truth?’: John Oates has a special ritual before Hall and Oates shows

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Every musician has his pre-show ritual, that thing — or group of things — that helps settle the mind and prepare the body for the joys, pressures and exertion that’s ahead.

For John Oates, who’s been working as part of Hall and Oates for decades, it’s simple: “Yeah, I make sure I take a piss,” he tells Yahoo. “It’s called a safety piss. It’s the most important thing I do before I play.”

You were expecting a handful of M&Ms — with the brown ones contractually removed? A men’s room run admittedly doesn’t sound very rock star-ish, much less very Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-ish.

But Oates sticks to the story. “That’s the truth,” he adds. “Do you want the truth? I meditate with candles and incense and only play Hindu music. No, that’s not true.”

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