Rab Noakes Celebrates 50 years in music with New EP at Kingsp Place

Celebrating his 70th birthday and his 50th year touring Scottish singer songwriter Rab Noakes launches his EP ‘The Treatment Tapes’ in January 2017.

Early in 2015 Rab Noakes was diagnosed with tonsillar cancer. From March to May that year the treatments took place, thirty early morning radiotherapy sessions and two chemotherapy overnights. It’s rigorous stuff and rendered him inactive for a few months. He wasn’t inactive for any longer than was necessary though and was soon back in action. The songs on this EP were written during the post-treatment period and were part of that process. They were recorded chronologically so their performances reflect that progress. There was one initial session in December 2015 followed by one in April 2016. There’s no self-pity though, here you’ll find defiance, resilience, love, support and wit.

“When something like this happens to the likes of me at least I know I’ll probably get a couple of songs out of it”. He goes on to say “It sounds a wee bit flippant and it does puncture the tension a bit. Truth is, though, it’s what we do creatively. We utilise experience and observation of, and response to, life’s ingredients, add a helping of imagination and deliver a work” Rab Noakes

Photo credit Carol Ann Peacock