They met in Boston. They played in bands together. They started dating. They moved to L.A. They broke up. They wrote sad songs about each other. They recorded those songs, got back together and formed a band. They got married and have been touring and recording ever since.
This is the story of John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard, or simply The Submarines. That's old news, though. Right now, the band is in the middle of touring in support of its critically acclaimed second album Honeysuckle Weeks. The Press caught up with Hazard to talk about touring the country with her husband, playing in New York and those other husband/wife bands.
You've been touring a lot the last year. This has to be strain on your relationship. What's it like to tour the world with your spouse?
It's both amazing and incredibly difficult. We're lucky to be able to be there for and with each other through all the ups and downs of touring, though the more grueling parts of touring definitely take a toll. We try to just remember to put our relationship first when things get tricky.
Your songs have been used in a lot of TV shows and commercials. Is it weird to hear your songs on TV or are you happy for the exposure?
It can be very surreal to hear our songs in these different contexts, often because there seems to be a different interpretation of the song's meaning -- but in that sense, no two people hear songs in the same exact way, so it's interesting to see a different take on it. Those placements have made it possible for us to keep touring and making records in a time when it's increasingly tough to make a living as a musician, so we're grateful for it. We'd never let our music be used in something that made us uncomfortable.
You contributed a cover of "Boys Don't Cry" for the new Cure tribute album that just came out, were you approached to do the cover or was it something you really wanted to do? Do you have any embarrassing goth teen memories of listening to the Cure?
We were asked to contribute a track to the compilation and there were only a few song choices available by the time we signed on. We were pretty intimidated by the song, but as we decided to work out a more old-school dub interpretation, we started to make it more our own and got a bit more comfortable. Neither of of us were ever really goth—John had his new-wave moment and I've always been a hippie girl at heart.
What do you think of those other couple bands out there like Matt & Kim or Mates of State?
I think anyone who can be creative with, and tour with, their partner is a brave soul. Amazingly, Mates of State tour with their baby, so they really have my admiration. Not to mention, we love both those bands' music.
Do you have any past experiences playing in New York? What do you like and not like about it?
My first show ever was in New York in a place called the Spiral (I don't think it exists any longer). I was totally unaware of club etiquette and asked some executives who were there in suits to see the headliners (those were the days, and I was a teenager) to "Please shut up," so I could play. That didn't go over well with management. In some ways, it's much easier to be a touring band coming through town than to live in the city and gig locally. I think you're treated a bit better.
Honeysuckle Weeks was acclaimed as one of the best albums of 2008, what's in store for the future of the Submarines?
We've just begun working on some new songs and look forward to getting back into the studio after this tour. We've been having a great time playing these songs because, though it may sound a bit trite, they're so fun to play. But, it'll be great to get back into the creative process and see what comes next.
Feb. 10, Mercury Lounge, 217 E. Houston St. (at Essex St.), 212-260-4700; 8, $10/$12
