The past has infinite value if one learns from it.
I lived in an area where there were a lot of rock musicians, and we got together regularly in our studios.
I actually never knew Peter Green but I do respect his early work very much.
The band projects just took natural priority. I didn't really have a solo career, just wanted to share the music in another way and to learn more about writing, recording, etcetera.
It is hard to understand addiction unless you have experienced it.
I have never learned to read or write music so I am not a virtuoso musician like the others you mentioned. I am completely unable to play like them because I never learned classical music, I just developed my own crazy style!