Brian Jones welcomes Brian Viglione and Veronica Swift of DAME to Inside the Creative Mind for a conversation that officially earns the podcast its very first Explicit rating. And with a song called “Fucking Mess,” it really could not have happened any other way.

Brian and Veronica take us inside the world of DAME, from the unlikely creative connection that first brought them together to building a band that blends rock, jazz, musical theater, classical music, folk, blues, and cabaret into something entirely its own.

They discuss the mythology behind DAME, the creative process that allows their songs to move from intimate moments to explosive rock, and the themes of identity, resistance, and individuality running through songs like “Wrong Place, Wrong Time,” “Get Tough,” and “Fucking Mess.”

Veronica opens up about stepping beyond the jazz world and embracing her identity as a rock front woman, while Brian reflects on what his experiences with The Dresden Dolls, Violent Femmes, Nine Inch Nails, and other projects have taught him about collaboration and creativity.

It is a funny, thoughtful, and wide ranging conversation about musical freedom, creative evolution, artistic partnership, and what happens when two fearless artists decide they no longer need to fit neatly into anybody else’s box.