Hall & Oates Return!

The trademark blond pompadour and the big black mustache are long gone, but Daryl Hall and John Oates are back. After disappointing record sales in the '90s, the duo have rebounded with a new hit album, Do It for Love. And now they're bringing their infectious blend of pop and R&B to A&E's say-it-they'll-play-it concert series, Live by Request (airing March 24, 9 pm/ET)

"It's one of the best shows on television for music, if not the best," says Hall, 54, of the telecast that counts Santana, David Bowie and James Taylor as previous guests. Adds 53-year-old Oates: "It's a great opportunity for us to show off our history and our catalog."

Expect fans to call and e-mail requests for "Maneater," "Kiss on My List," "Sara Smile" and "Private Eyes," which Oates says has been updated: "We resurrected it, changed the arrangement, and now it sounds more contemporary." But don't count out obscure songs from a 30-year-long career as the most commercially successful duo in music history. "We have loyal fan base," says Hall, who met Oates in 1967 when the two were students in Philadelphia. "People know our songs and have real feelings about them."

And H&O continue to prove they're far from out of touch: The duo recently played their hit "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" on an episode of NBC's Ed; they've got two new hits on the charts, "Do It for Love" and "Forever for You"; and their old videos are regularly popping up on VH1 Classics. What's more, grown women still leap on stage just like teenagers did 20 years ago. "They just jump a little slower," jokes Oates. "They're not moving quite as quickly, so you have more time to react. It's kinda like football!"