Eric Clapton has reflected on the enduring guitar talent of former Fleetwood Mac member Peter Green, saying he wishes Green had never retired from music. Clapton, who rose through bands including The Yardbirds and Cream during Britain's blues boom, holds Green in extremely high regard, viewing him as an equal rather than a lesser figure of that era, even though Clapton is often singled out as its defining guitarist.

Speaking about a chance meeting with Green on the street roughly a year earlier, Clapton described him as "a great guy" who seemed unwell and somewhat frustrated, but not indifferent, adding that he would "never completely give up" on Green returning to music. Clapton contrasted their styles, noting his own reliance on forceful playing versus Green's more delicate, selective touch, and expressed regret that Green never fully recovered from the long-term effects of past drug use, which curtailed his career.