No contract issues, he just wanted to stay out of the limelight associated with his name after the breakups of Cream and Blind Faith. Layla was also written about his secret love of George Harrison's wife, whom Clapton would marry eight years after the release of the song.
Been watching a lot of YouTube videos on Belgian Malinios training and almost all of them have this song. It's been stuck in my head for about a month now. Song definitely isn't new, but this remix is pretty good.