There are few sure bets in life, but it’s safe to say a Ted Nugent and Jason Isbell musical collabo will never happen. Nugent, of course, is rock’s most famous politically conversative guitarist. Meanwhile, Isbell is probably the current liberal equivalent. The bizarro Nuge.

With Isbell set to perform during the Democratic National Convention’s opening night, the New York Times published a new interview with the Grammy-winner from North Alabama. Isbell chopped it up with Times political reporter Nick Corasaniti on spanned from country singer Jason Aldean’s controversial song “Try That in a Small Town” to how Democrats might woo Southern white working-class voters.

Some of Isbell’s most passionate quotes were in reply to a question asking if he thought playing the D.N.C. or publicly espousing Democratic views would impact his audiences. Corasaniti, a lifelong Bruce Springsteen fan, observed he thought more fans at a typical Springsteen show disagree with Springsteen’s liberal views than agree with Springsteen.

“No, I don’t worry about that,” Isbell said. “don’t really think mine is split down the middle. I think the majority of people, just because of the fact that the music I have always made has been independent, and more of a boutique thing. If it grows, and it already has grown past the point I expected it to, but the people that we pick up along the way, usually the majority of those people are at the very least open to whatever I have to say politically. But at the same time, like, the ultimate goal for me is not to get as many fans as possible.”

After quipping he already has enough money and gear, another name for music equipment, Isbell added, “And for me, the ultimate goal is just to communicate my inner life and test the connection that I have with everybody else, with strangers. And in order to do that, you gotta tell the truth, and you gotta be honest about how you feel. And if it runs some people off — I’m going to tell you, this might not sound like the truth here, but it is — if it runs people off, I would like them to go.

“I don’t want people out there who are going to make it uncomfortable for the rest of my audience. And if you’re not open to hearing what I have to say, then you’re probably not going to be open to somebody standing by you who is different from you, and that’s not the kind of room I want to be in. I don’t care how big it is or how many tickets I’ve sold.”

Also in the Times interview, Isbell said he occasionally thought about running for political office.

“I may have that kind of patience at some point,” Isbell said, “but at this point in my life, I don’t yet have it.”

Isbell also praised President Joe Biden for stepping down from his reelection bid, following a disastrous debate performance earlier this summer versus former President Donald J. Trump, the Republican nominee.

“To set aside his own ego and pride and even just his work ethic and do what he did, it was a huge, huge moment,” Isbell said. “And it reinvigorated the party and the voting base but also made me sort of realize that we have an opportunity here to aim for something that’s not just mitigation.”

As far as the Democratic candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris’ best shot at connecting with white, working-class voters who had a similar upbringing as Isbell, the Green Hill native said, “If the door is open, I mean, people care about the economy. If you can’t afford the things you need, it’s really difficult to go outside of your own house and off your own property and think about what’s going on with your neighbors.”

Read the full New York Times interview.