George Harrison, burdened by a lifelong smoking habit acquired in childhood and financial troubles from his collapsed film enterprise, found himself in need of renewed purpose by 1991. He accepted an opportunity from longtime musical partner Eric Clapton to perform a series of concerts in Japan—a significant commitment from an artist who had largely withdrawn from touring since the mid-1960s and preferred studio-based work.

Clapton's motivation for the partnership stemmed from personal tragedy; his young son had recently died in an accident, and he sought to channel his grief through creative work whilst offering Harrison structured support through his seasoned touring band. Harrison viewed the tour as a dual opportunity to generate income and conquer his smoking addiction through the demands of live performance. However, the intervention proved insufficient—Harrison continued smoking for years afterward and only abandoned the habit following a throat cancer diagnosis, succumbing to lung cancer in 2001 after decades of tobacco use.