Matt Cameron quits Pearl Jam

[igotworms]

I don't understand the "Matt never fit into the band" argument. I thought he fit in great from day one. He's certainly the most well-rounded drummer they ever had. Jack was always more of the odd one out to me but I still love what Jack did on NC and Yield—he really pushed them into different directions creatively. Dave A played on two albums and he's unbelievable on Vs. but pretty much a one trick pony it terms of his style of drumming (especially listening to the live stuff from that era—kinda hard to listen to him with all the over top drum rolls and splash and china symbols ringing out).

To me, groove is an essential element of their sound until Matt Cameron joins, and then it mostly goes away, and he strips the groove out of a lot of the early songs (Even Flow live for example is so far below the original track for example T_T)

That's why I don't think he was a great fit, but in terms of everything else, he was. They might not have the same live history they do now without him.

100% have thought the same for a long time. He's an amazing drummer. Really like the songs he brings to the band. Is a top bloke. But he's ridiculously tight. There's no swing to his playing. I'm sad to see him go but excited by the opportunity this could have for the way the band delivers its catalogue from here on.

[Rangi Guy]

Maybe Ed could just pull double duty. He's had time behind a kit hasn't he?

[96583UP]

Ed prefers to have a powerful yet subservient ally behind the kit to help him keep at bay any attempted stone gossard uprisings to re-assert control over the band

[96583UP]

Wtf lads

Blast Kiss

[96583UP]

Men of the Hour

[96583UP]

Creamy Stomp

[dad]

Splats

[dimejinky99]

Ejaculation

[Anders]

I've always appreciated Matt's talent, but I never thought he was a good fit for this band. I hate what he does on a song like Thumbing My Way. Been waiting for this change for many years.

drummer of 27 years quits, and tree just thinks it is the time to shit on him. Gtfo dude.

it's kinda funny. 'good fit', he was the drummer for like a large majority of their career as a band. like wtf are we even talking about?

yeah well, I haven't been a fan for a long time.. like, are we not allowed to comment unless we're unabashed fans? tell that to dime in the The Bear thread.. and i'm not shitting on Matt. Even the way he talks about his time with the band in that Beato interview he was just a gun for hire and also didn't feel like this was the best use of his talents

i get it, the people who don't like the "Matt Era" don't like pearl jam that much. it's fine, it's just weird that the guy who was their drummer for like 80% gets an "Era". Dave A was 3 albums, Jack Irons was 2 albums, Matt Cameron was 7 albums. Cameron was there for like 3 different PJ Eras.

now please tell me he wasn't using his talents b/c most of pearl jam songs are in normal time signatures

Dave K 1 album (0 album tours)
Dave A 2 albums (2 album tours)
Jack Irons 2 albums (2 album tours)
Matt Cameron 7 albums (8 album tours)

[mikejasond]

I don't understand the "Matt never fit into the band" argument. I thought he fit in great from day one. He's certainly the most well-rounded drummer they ever had. Jack was always more of the odd one out to me but I still love what Jack did on NC and Yield—he really pushed them into different directions creatively. Dave A played on two albums and he's unbelievable on Vs. but pretty much a one trick pony it terms of his style of drumming (especially listening to the live stuff from that era—kinda hard to listen to him with all the over top drum rolls and splash and china symbols ringing out).

To me, groove is an essential element of their sound until Matt Cameron joins, and then it mostly goes away, and he strips the groove out of a lot of the early songs (Even Flow live for example is so far below the original track for example T_T)

That's why I don't think he was a great fit, but in terms of everything else, he was. They might not have the same live history they do now without him.

100% have thought the same for a long time. He's an amazing drummer. Really like the songs he brings to the band. Is a top bloke. But he's ridiculously tight. There's no swing to his playing. I'm sad to see him go but excited by the opportunity this could have for the way the band delivers its catalogue from here on.

Yeah, I don't want to insult him as a drummer because as Soundgarden shows he is a great drummer, and even in Pearl Jam he is a machine live, who brings LOTS of energy to their 3 hour shows. So nothing taking away from him on that. I didn't like what he did to their sound, but Im still very sad to see him go after so long, and he obviously got along great with the band helping their cameraderie.

As for the people talking about Matt-era songs, is it really true that somebody like Dave A could NOT play Dark Matter or Grievance? Im not a drummer so I don't know. But like...just because that isn't something he tackled before? He seems to be a good drummer, could he really not do that? I feel like people are selling the others short. It's irrelevant because it would never be somebody like Dave A. But I would be surprised if people like that literally could NOT do a Matt song, I know they're complex in a different way but are they really THAT insane? They don't sound like it to me....

But I guess I don't know whether non-Matt drummers could do Matt songs, but I DO know that I didn't think Matt was great on non-Matt songs. So I can remain optimistic that somebody new would be able to do both lol.

Again, he wasn't like a BAD drummer, he played all the songs confidently, he just was missing that extra something from their sound that was so crucial to their 90s output.

[lowlight79]

So, will this be in the newsletter in a few days?

Tomorrow is the 10th

I hope I am wrong, but the 10th could be a full band announcement of some sort of hiatus. I can't see them hiring another full time drummer. The played alot the last few years in terms of how the band plays shows. I don't see pearl jam coming back for a while if at all.

[WtOB?]

can you guys all go to my radio stations instagram @chillifm and vote for the fixer in our story so we can give matt his 20c royalties by playing his song.

[dimejinky99]

Being modded for my weekly finest moment ever on RM

If you guys paid more attention to your kids we would all be happier

EJACULAAAAATTTIIIOONNNN

[epilogue]

Maybe Ed could just pull double duty. He's had time behind a kit hasn't he?

With his ex's band in fact

[spike]

Im seriously in shock...

My guess is that he was just tired to touring. He's stated in some interviews that the it's a physical hard job.
He will not quit music, just short project with some shows. I mean, he's rich enough to do whatever he wants...

Stone will probably first call his Painted Shield buddy 'Matt Chamberlain' now...

I saw photos of Stone and Matt leaving a restaurant after breakfast recently but didn’t think anything of it.

[Bi_3]

So, will this be in the newsletter in a few days?

Tomorrow is the 10th

I hope I am wrong, but the 10th could be a full band announcement of some sort of hiatus. I can't see them hiring another full time drummer. The played alot the last few years in terms of how the band plays shows. I don't see pearl jam coming back for a while if at all.

I don't think it's going that way that quick, but there will be a big reluctance to 'start over' at their age and this point in their career.

[mikejasond]

Probably true, but who knows, maybe the opportunity will be exciting and fun too? <_<

[warehouse]

I've always appreciated Matt's talent, but I never thought he was a good fit for this band. I hate what he does on a song like Thumbing My Way. Been waiting for this change for many years.

drummer of 27 years quits, and tree just thinks it is the time to shit on him. Gtfo dude.

it's kinda funny. 'good fit', he was the drummer for like a large majority of their career as a band. like wtf are we even talking about?

yeah well, I haven't been a fan for a long time.. like, are we not allowed to comment unless we're unabashed fans? tell that to dime in the The Bear thread.. and i'm not shitting on Matt. Even the way he talks about his time with the band in that Beato interview he was just a gun for hire and also didn't feel like this was the best use of his talents

i get it, the people who don't like the "Matt Era" don't like pearl jam that much. it's fine, it's just weird that the guy who was their drummer for like 80% gets an "Era". Dave A was 3 albums, Jack Irons was 2 albums, Matt Cameron was 7 albums. Cameron was there for like 3 different PJ Eras.

now please tell me he wasn't using his talents b/c most of pearl jam songs are in normal time signatures

Dave K 1 album (0 album tours)
Dave A 2 albums (2 album tours)
Jack Irons 2 albums (2 album tours)
Matt Cameron 7 albums (8 album tours)

exactly. people think of Dave A the most b/c he was the drummer at the height of their mainstream popularity. they had a rotating list of drummers before matt, but he pretty much ended that rotation. this is a whole new thing. i hope the heart transplant goes as well now as it did back in 1998.

it would be hilarious if they hired sean kinney, but i think aic tours a fair amount. is nirvana's first drummer alive?

[lvc]

So, will this be in the newsletter in a few days?

Tomorrow is the 10th

I hope I am wrong, but the 10th could be a full band announcement of some sort of hiatus. I can't see them hiring another full time drummer. The played alot the last few years in terms of how the band plays shows. I don't see pearl jam coming back for a while if at all.

I don't think it's going that way that quick, but there will be a big reluctance to 'start over' at their age and this point in their career.

I'm not sure that's guaranteed. You could also make the speculation that, because a drummer does so much to change the feel of a song, that having a new one would bring a lot of interest and vitality to songs that had started to feel stale. Like an, "oh wow I can't believe "Black" feels fresh again. Wonder what else in the catalog feels fun again?"

[spike]

Super fan Andrew Watt has been angling to get into this band for years. Matt was always the weakest link.