Matt Sullivan of the Nashville Scene recently conducted an interview with MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On politics:

Mustaine: "You've got all these politicians saying that they're your friends, and they're not. Republican, Democrat, whoever they are, they're all the same monsters, and they don't care about us. When they passed that bill exempting them off of Obamacare, that was the cherry on top of the cupcake for me. All I have to say is, 'I told you so.' "

On openly embracing Christianity:

Mustaine: "I don't think that my faith has anything to do with my lyrics. I try and keep religion out of it. Frankly, for me, I don't believe in religion. I have a personal relationship with God and with Christ, and that's it. I don't push that on anybody; it's private. I kind of leave it there. Dave's [Ellefson] real open about it."

On his days in METALLICA:

Mustaine: "I remember when I was in METALLICA, the second-to-the-last show that I did with those guys, [IRON MAIDEN bassist] Steve [Harris] came and checked us out. I was talking to him after the show and he goes, 'Yeah, I think you guys are going to be big.' And I was like, 'Yeah, I think so, too.' Little did I know."

On up-and-coming metal bands:

Mustaine: "Regardless of their age, if they're young or they're old or whatever, they've got talent. I've got to say that. But the originality is like flaxseed oil. To me, it's absolutely tasteless."

On how much of his competitive fire is still there:

Mustaine: "I'm not going to say I'm complacent, but put this into another metaphor. You're a gunslinger. Just because you're the best doesn't mean you have to keep your gun out on the table all the time. You get respect. When people want to challenge you, they'll let you know. It's like, if you're standing in front of a samurai, if he pulls his sword out even one inch, you're fucked. Excuse my French."

Read the entire interview at Nashville Scene.