Naked Truth

Naked Truth is punk/hardcore/thrash metal quartet from Atlanta, Georgia, originated in the local hardcore scene in 1988, although the individual band members arrived from far afield: vocalist Doug Watts came from Detroit, bassist Jeff from Harlem, New York, and drummer Bernard Dawson from Los Angeles, while Jimmie Westley was the only Georgia native, from Savannah. Life was initially tough for a black metal band in Georgia, but the dreadlocked band singer (Doug Watts) caught the interest of former The Clash manager Bernie Rhodes, and he helped the band sign to Sony. They relocated to London, saw their original bassist Jeff depart due to homesickness and recruited the London-born Kwame Boaten - the band was ready for the road. "Green With Rage!" (1991) was a mini-album that introduced Naked Truth's raw, aggressive sound, which was given an individual slant by jazz and funk influences. They followed that release with another EP, "Read Between the Lines" released following year. The band supported Scat Opera and Little Angels on tour, and they built a cult following enhanced by gigs in London. The album "Fight" was released by Sony in 1993, mixing genres as diverse as jazz and death metal. With the release of their first two LP's "Green With Rage!" and "Fight" on Sony Records in the UK the band toured extensively throughout Europe. Their last tour was to be with legendary band Motörhead, but was cancelled due to Lemmy's (Motörhead's lead singer) failing health. A proposed name change to Watts coincided with Sony's decision to drop the outfit from its roster. After twenty years of silence the band released "The Cure" LP in 2013, available for download through all major music portals. The band is rumored to be gearing up for some live performances in Atlanta. Lead singer Doug Watts says the band has been through a lot over the last two decades, but says the group as a whole is very blessed and can't wait to play again. When asked about the current line-up, which includes Michael "Mykill" Hankins (lead vocalist in the band Lastregus Nosferatus alongside with fellow core member Watts in the 80's), Watts simply says "It's the best ever. I didn't think we could support a second guitarist, but it was always on the table, so when we added Michael on guitar we allowed Naked Truth to change again. We've always prided ourselves on walking our own path." Some artists Naked Truth has shared the stage with include Sacred Reich, 24-7 Spyz, Scat Opera, Livin' Colour, Little Angels, and many more.