Once you start to pay attention to Clapton’s motivations and recognize the things that caused change in his life, it’s hard to fight the impression that he is/was a ‘glass is half empty’ kind of guy.

He’d never settled into any of the five bands he’d been in, and was happiest while playing as a support musician for Delaney and Bonnie. Now that he found himself as the leader of that very same band, capable of doing anything he pleased, he virtually abandoned them.

Heroin became his life’s obsession, and he rationalized it as a means to quell the pain and guilt he felt from losing his grandfather and for loving his best friend’s wife. By 1971, he virtually stopped making music.

If we were to coordinate this series of Clapton shows so that each show represented a specific period of time, say six months per show, then the next six shows would consist almost entirely of silence. When we return with the next show, we will magically be three years into the future. Meanwhile, here was Clapton was doing just before he dropped out, and bit of what happened while he remained a recluse.

1) Key to the Highway (live) – Derek & the Dominoes

2) Got to Get Better in a Little While – Derek & the Dominoes

3) Evil - Derek & the Dominoes

4) One More Chance - Derek & the Dominoes

5) Mean Old Frisco - Derek & the Dominoes

6) Snake Lake Blues - Derek & the Dominoes

7) Wah – Wah - George Harrison Concert for Bangla-Desh

8) Badge (Rainbow Concert) - George Harrison Concert for Bangla-Desh

9) Bottle of Red Wine - Rainbow Concert