In a new interview with Attention Deficit Delirium's Bryan Reesman, Geezer Butler, longtime bassist for groundbreaking heavy metal outfit BLACK SABBATH, discusses veganism, religion, politics, surveillance, and life lessons. An excerpt follows:

Q: What I’ve noticed about the metal scene is the split between the people in the audience and the people on stage. There seem to be more conservatives in the audience, while on stage and behind the scenes a lot of people tend to skew more liberal. Have you noticed that?

A: "It depends. Everybody’s different. Some bands [and artists] are completely against what I’m for, like TED NUGENT who is the total opposite of me. He’s a hunter and loves meat, and I’m completely vegan and against any animal cruelty. You just meet different people. I don’t disrespect them. It’s just good to have conversations or have differences in opinion, even though it’s the same kind of music.

Q: As long as people are having an intelligent discussion, that’s the key thing. The dialogue in Washington lately is just a shouting match.

A: "America is so divided now, it’s unbelievable. And that’s happened maybe in the last 20 or 30 years, especially since the Iraq war. It totally divided the country."

Q: What things were on your mind when you were writing the lyrics for 13?

A: "They were just things from the news. I don’t know. I had to write some lyrics so quickly in the end. I was literally writing the lyrics the night before Ozzy would go in and sing them."

Read the full interview at this location.