Noakes released his first album ,Do You See the Lights, a blend of easy-going country rock which included the songs "Too Old to Die", "Together Forever" and "Somebody Counts on Me".

Noakes released his first album ,Do You See The Lights, in 1970,[1] with a line-up that included McKidd on electric guitar and the Scottish jazz bassist[ambiguous] Ronnie Rae.

Noakes was a founding member in 1971 of the folk rock band Stealers Wheel, along with Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan.

In May 1972, the British music magazine NME reported that Noakes was to appear at the Great Western Express Lincoln Festival on 26 May that year.

Other acts to perform in the "Giants of Tomorrow" marquee included Budgie, Skin Alley, Tea & Sympathy, John Martyn, Warhorse and Gnidrolog.

The album Restless (1978) was produced by Terry Melcher at Starling Sounds, based at Tittenhurst Park in Ascot, the former home of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, then owned by Ringo Starr.

[1] Noakes subsequently toured with the Varaflames, containing Pick Withers, Rod Clements and the harmonicist, Fraser Speirs.

The first set consists of new compositions that show his gift for melody and love of Americana, and includes "Out of Your Sight", influenced by Buddy Holly, a tribute to a 1920s minstrel singer, and a poignant lament for Rafferty.

The second album is dominated by "interpretations" (he hated the word "covers") of songs from early Cliff Richard to Garbage and Beck, along with the skiffle standard "Freight Train", on which he was joined by Jimmie MacGregor, and a finely sung treatment of the traditional "The Two Sisters".