Matt Cameron quits Pearl Jam

[spike]

Imagine Pearl Jam hanging it up when AC/DC is still out there.

[Matters]

At the time it felt like he just fell into their lap after the Soundgarden breakup. They were very fortunate.

[injuddstree]

90% chance it will be Richard Stuverud, IMO.

[VinylGuy]

Listening to a little Live on Two Legs right now, thinking how it just feels like yesterday that Matt joined the band and feeling somewhat incredulous at the idea that it has been 27 years since the autumn of sophomore year, when I listened obsessively to this album on the bus on the way home from school. There’s really no telling what PJ would have become had a different drummer stepped in for that ‘98 tour. Very grateful it was Matt, that they went on to have the career they did, and that I got the chance to see that iteration of the band as many times as I did.

Even though I am musically partial to Jack, to me “Pearl Jam” as a group of five dudes will probably always be Ed, Jeff, Stone, Mike, and Matt. In a lot of ways their drummer drama in the ‘90’s was less a string of replacements and more a series of long-form auditions for the one that would finally work.

I cranked Dark Matter today but tomorrow itll be Live on Two Legs. Also listened to Los Angeles 00 and tomorrow im thinking Seattle 00, a true classic.

[zeb]

Listening to a little Live on Two Legs right now, thinking how it just feels like yesterday that Matt joined the band and feeling somewhat incredulous at the idea that it has been 27 years since the autumn of sophomore year, when I listened obsessively to this album on the bus on the way home from school. There’s really no telling what PJ would have become had a different drummer stepped in for that ‘98 tour. Very grateful it was Matt, that they went on to have the career they did, and that I got the chance to see that iteration of the band as many times as I did.

Even though I am musically partial to Jack, to me “Pearl Jam” as a group of five dudes will probably always be Ed, Jeff, Stone, Mike, and Matt. In a lot of ways their drummer drama in the ‘90’s was less a string of replacements and more a series of long-form auditions for the one that would finally work.

[Matters]

Proud of gen X today and their ability to process difficult information and quickly move on humor.

[Matters]

Not that it means anything but isn’t someone in the band (ed?) on record saying that Matt Cameron will be the last drummer for Pearl Jam?

I love Cameron’s PJ songs but they should retire those now. Except the Fixer. Because who cares what they do with that?

Terrible take. Why retire his songs? They’re great

Not really into responding to posts that start with “terrible take” but I do want to clarify I was talking about songs that MC wrote.

[WtOB?]

they literally all go up to matt and give him a big hug and crack the champagne at the end. how did we not notice anything - we call ourselves nerds!

[spike]

Maybe they were celebrating Josh getting off easy.

[B]

Proud of gen X today and their ability to process difficult information and quickly move on humor.

Hey, we fucking grew up on Pearl Jam losing drummers.

[Bi_3]

90% chance it will be Richard Stuverud, IMO.

Yeah, this seems like the smart choice to keep the peace and not drive Jeff out next

[96583UP]

the Richard S energy behind the kit with PJ was the best in a decade

no dis to Matt

but the vibes were palpable

[taffer]

Thank you Matt!


ps
boom should have been quit the band, not Matt.

[stip]

Well, there you go.

Unsurprising given everything that's already been said about the physical impact of being a touring rock drummer in your 60s, but definitely the end of an era and not one I was expecting. I thought it more likely the band would just slowly wind down from regular touring.

Very interested to see what happens now.

I was sure this was how it would go as well, which is the thing that surprises me about the announcement. I kind of figured they viewed PJ as the business they'd wind down together as they started wanting to retire, with fewer live gigs over time. I mean, the Dark Matter push last year was a fair amount of shows, but I could easily see a situation where they played 15-date tours once every few years or something. Matt leaving outright does make me wonder if it was at all a creative decision, even one that clearly seems amicable.

i assumed it was the physical toll rather than a creative one. That dam would have broken long ago and seems even more improbable (to me) after an album that was much more of a matt showcase than anything prior with the band.

much of their identity (and the bulk of their livelihood and support of pearl jam inc) is from touring. My speculation is just that he can’t/doesnt want to jeopardize that. I can equally imagine (or wish for) a scenario where the band wants to play more or at least sustain the current live pace and he worries about holding them back.

or dude just wants to retire and play when/where he wants and not be beholden to anything larger than those desires.

The modern iteration of live pearl jam was born under him. thats almost 30 years of incredible live chemistry. can you replace that?

[wease]

Here’s why he quit:

Johnny Guitar
Cropduster
Unemployable
You Are
Take the Long Way
Get it Back
Evacuation
The Fixer
In the Moonlight
Get Right

Ten tunes. Ten tunes in 27 years over 7 albums. He finally said fuck this shit.

[Monkey_Driven]

This bums me out

[Kevin Davis]

i assumed it was the physical toll rather than a creative one. That dam would have broken long ago and seems even more improbable (to me) after an album that was much more of a matt showcase than anything prior with the band

Unless what he wants is more of an opportunity to write songs (lyrics, music, everything), as opposed to just have his drumming spotlighted, and have the odd riff/demo occasionally get Ed-ified into a full band song. We know he writes way more music than the band historically has used, and while PJ has never stopped him from making that stuff on the side, I can definitely understand how PJ would feel like a great drumming gig to him rather than a fully satisfying creative outlet.

[B]

Here’s why he quit:

Johnny Guitar
Cropduster
Unemployable
You Are
Take the Long Way
Get it Back
Evacuation
The Fixer
In the Moonlight
Get Right

Ten tunes. Ten tunes in 27 years over 7 albums. He finally said fuck this shit.

Nah, he's too cool to be bitter about that. He's an elder statesman. He joined an established band with 5 albums and a front man calling the shots. If getting writing credits was his red line, he would have crossed that long ago.

[Kevin Davis]

Not bitter, but maybe feeling some sense of time getting short to do some things he would like to do creatively, and feeling like PJ isn’t really the space for them.

No real idea though. I’d imagine in the end it’s a combination of things that are more personal and nuanced than we’ll ever really get to know.

[B]

No way, these guys pump out all the stuff they want with or without the band.

This is absolutely about physical limitations.