I saw Clapton way back in the 60s and his guitar playing was fairly astonishing. Nevertheless, I never became a record-buying fan; just something missing aside from the technical prowess. I have to admit too, that I generally found the British blues-rock scene -- how to put this?-- well-intentioned but inauthentic. Never could "get" John Mayall's "Bluesbreakers" for example.
Anyway, it surprised me to read about Clapton's anti-immigrant, racist diatribes, and it made me wonder just how much his significant and acknowledged problems with drug addiction and alcoholism affected his playing (not to mention his thinking and personal behavior).