Interview with Keyboardist Eliot Lewis – Musician for Daryl Hall and Todd Rundgren

Daryl Hall is going on tour to promote his new retrospective on his solo musical career. Hall has recorded five solo albums over the years and has put tracks from each and unreleased material on his new CD “Before After.” His good friend and former producer Todd Rundgren are also performing on tour. They are sharing one band, the “Live from Daryl’s House” band, to back both of them. It sounds like a lot of work for the band to back TWO artists. We asked multi-instrumentalist Eliot Lewis, who has been with Hall since his first solo shows in 2004, what it is like as a member of this illustrious band. The tour opens on Friday, April 1st, at the Chicago Auditorium. For Daryl Hall’s new CD and tour dates, check out the website. 

Hi Eliot! Since Daryl and Todd are both going to be using the LFDH band, what have rehearsals been like for you? What is the process? 

The process is pretty much what we do anytime we have a project like this. We are supplied the song list usually with the correct version to reference and the lyrics. I personally don’t read music, so I usually spend a little more time working on the songs at home so they can be committed to memory. We just started full band rehearsals, and we’re spending several days with each artist.

Having worked with both Daryl and Todd on separate tours, how are their work styles similar and different?

I think the work styles between these two are pretty similar, they both want things to sound great and be comfortable singing them and playing their instruments. It’s partly up to the band to make them feel that. In general terms, I would say Daryl works more to get the overall vibe right, while Todd gets a little more into the fine details. Both have very similar music styles, and both are obviously incredibly brilliant at what they do.

Generally speaking, is there music that you have not played before that you are having to learn? No, I am not fishing for a setlist haha!

So far, every song I’m playing with Daryl, I believe I’ve played before, although some songs we haven’t played in many years. At first, I thought I would completely have to relearn them, but fortunately, some muscle memory kicked in- lol There are a few songs I haven’t played with Todd, but I was very lucky to have been asked to perform 25 virtual shows with him last year in Chicago, so that definitely gave me a head start on this show we’re doing.

Many of the Hall & Oates fans are excited to hear Daryl’s solo music live, as that has been a rarity. Does the band feel challenged to be doing something totally different from the usual touring schedule with Hall & Oates?

Yes, it is a little challenging to play this much sophisticated music (about 30 songs) in one night, but I think we all enjoy mixing things up. I definitely welcome the challenge; I think it’s what makes us grow as musicians.

Your new CD “Anything Is Possible” is coming out, and you are having a CD release party at Daryl’s House Club on May 26th! Tell us about what motivated you to write this record?

Yes, I’m really excited about this one. I think it has one of my strongest collection of songs, with one being an instrumental. The song that started the process for this record happened right after the Covid lockdown in 2020. I wrote a song called “When this is all over” about being separated from loved ones during that time. I usually write all the time anyway (schedule permitting), but because we couldn’t get out and play, I did a lot of writing. Most of the record is very upbeat and is mostly guitar driven, and like most of my records, I’m playing all the instruments.

Being into photography, I would like to know who are some of your favorite photographers that have inspired you? Your photos are wonderful images.

Thank you, photography has been a hobby of mine since I was about 18 years old. I got really into black & white and was inspired by a lot of the early twentieth century classic photographers. The one that really got me started, though, believe it or not, was Andy Summers, the guitarist for The Police. I was a huge Police fan way back when and discovered he was a great photographer and documented much of his touring. He really gave me the photography bug. So, when I started touring, I did the same and even did quite a bit for Hall & Oates. I’ve recently gotten really into video; in fact my latest video for “What We Make It,” I actually directed and edited myself! I really look forward to getting even more out there this year and doing many more of my own shows, and I hope to see all of you at one of them. For info on Eliot on the website.

Photos by Vicky Sullivan & Stacey Katsis