Pearl Jam Drummer Matt Cameron Leaves Band After 27 Years

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Matt Cameron has taken his final bow in Pearl Jam.

After nearly three decades, Matt chose to bid farewell to the iconic grunge band in a touching message that looked back on his years of collaborating with Eddie Vedder, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, and Stone Gossard.

Following an incredible 27-year journey, Matt, aged 62, has made his last performance from the drum platform with Pearl Jam. In a statement shared on Instagram on July 7th, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude towards Jeff, Ed, Mike, and Stone for allowing him to join the band in 1998, providing him an extraordinary lifetime opportunity filled with friendships, creativity, challenges, and laughter.

He went on to say, “I will always be thankful to the team, employees, and fans everywhere. This has been a remarkable voyage. There’s more to come. From the depths of my heart, I express my gratitude to each one of you. Wishing peace and love.

Additionally, Matt didn’t disclose the specific cause behind his leaving, but instead, his previous bandmates issued a supportive statement in response.

In my own words as a devoted fan, I’d express it like this: “Ever since he was part of our pioneering musical groups Skin Yard and Soundgarden, Matt Cameron has consistently proven himself to be an extraordinary and authentic musician and drummer. He played on our early demos back in 1990, and for the past 27 years, he’s been the driving force behind every Pearl Jam live performance and studio recording.

 

The four of them shared that this was a very significant phase for our team, and they wish him nothing but the best all the time. They will greatly miss him, and he remains our lifelong companion in creativity and melodies. Their message to him was simply, “We care for you deeply, Matt.

In 1998, I officially became a part of Pearl Jam following Jack Irons’ departure from the band. Interestingly, I had already collaborated with Eddie, Jeff, Stone, Mike, and Chris Cornell in a tribute band called Temple of the Dog during the ’90s. This band was formed to honor our late friend Andrew Wood, who sadly passed away. Remarkably, Pearl Jam also came together in the same year as us.

 

In the year 2000, exactly two years after joining a Grammy-winning band, Matt had his first appearance on Pearl Jam’s sixth studio album titled “Binaural.” Furthermore, in the year 2017, Matt was honored by being inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame alongside the group.

More recently, Matt was mentioned for taking on a role to assist his longtime companions, a position that soon solidified into a permanent place within their group.

 

On the May 30th episode of Drumeo, I shared that the band welcomed me instantly, as we’ve got a long-standing connection. We’ve been friends for quite some time, you see. When they asked me to step in, they were in somewhat of a tight spot. I accepted their offer to substitute for their drummer Jack at the moment, and it just so happened that they had a tour scheduled within three weeks or so.

 

He elaborated, “It was an absolute blast! You see, they’re fantastic individuals, they play amazing music, and they form an outstanding band. Since I’d been on tour for eleven years straight by then, it felt more like a pleasant change than a significant shift in work. It was just a wonderful opportunity that I greatly valued.

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2025-07-07 23:17