NOAH'S ARK
Tampa, FL
Personnel:
BOBBY CALDWELL drms A B
RONNY ELLIOTT bs A B
BILL MANN gtr A B
BUDDY RICHARDSON ld gtr A B
RODNEY JUSTO vcls B
45s:
1. Love In/I Get All The Luck (Decca 32153) Jun. 1967
2. Paper Man/Please Don't Talk About Yesterday (Decca 32217) Nov. 1967
3. Purple Heart/Stormy (Liberty 56157) Jan. 1970
NB: (3) as Noah's Ark featuring Rodney Justo.
Well, someone just had to make a record called Love-In. You'll find this likeable psychedelic ditty on 30 Seconds Before The Calico Wall (CD) and Boulders, Vol. 11 (LP). Strangely, Paper Man appears on Rubble, Vol. 15 where it's somehow surmised that the band were from the U.K. despite the 45 getting no U.K. release (huh?!). Paper Man has since appeared on Psychedelic States: Florida Vol. 3 (CD), which sets the record straight.
The band was from Tampa, Florida and Elliott and Richardson had previously been in other local groups including the Raveons, Outsiders and Soul Trippers. Their first two 45s are recommended. The Liberty 45 is totally different; augmented by ex-Candymen Rodney Justo and in a final attempt at commercial success they switched to the overblown soul'n'brass bombast of Blood, Sweat and Tears that was then in fashion. Both sides were written and produced by the Buie/Cobb team, who would work with Justo again when he formed The Atlanta Rhythm Section.
Bobby Caldwell had earlier drummed for The Go-Mads, prior to forming Noah's Ark with Buddy Richardson and Ronny Elliott. Both Elliott and Bill Mann also played in The Outlaws. Caldwell then was recruited by Johnny Winter and, later the UK/US outfit Captain Beyond. Caldwell also drummed on the New Englander's tracks found on the Tener Bee-Jay sampler LPs. When Caldwell left The Go-Mads, the remaining members became, Plant Life.
Noah's Ark later re-grouped as Duckbutter and Buddy Richardson would later form White Witch.