Famed drummer says why he left influential ’90s rock band after 27 years
Matt Cameron has revealed his reason for leaving Pearl Jam after playing with the legendary band for 27 years.
Cameron, who left the band in July , recently told Billboard that Pearl Jam's grueling tour schedule was what led to his exit.
"I was having some issues with (Pearl Jam's) three-hour shows and constant touring and stuff," Cameron told the outlet. "That's definitely an art form unto itself, to be able to do those types of shows…I'm at a point now where I want to do a face-melting 70-minute set, and that's kind of what I'm focusing on right now."
The 62-year-old added that his split from Pearl Jam was amicable.
"I definitely gave them a lot of notice," the drummer said. "I've spoken with Jeff (Ament) and Stone (Gossard) a little bit…It's been fine. Hopefully we'll get back together at some point and have a beer or something."
Cameron first rose to fame as the drummer for Soundgarden , which he joined in 1986. After the group broke up in 1997, Cameron join Pearl Jam on the band's "Yield Tour" in 1998. He eventually became a permanent member of the band after replacing Jack Irons. The longtime drummer announced his departure from Pearl Jam on July 7.
"After 27 fantastic years, I have taken my final steps down the drum riser for the mighty Pearl Jam," Cameron wrote in a statement posted to the band's X profile . "I am forever grateful to the crew, staff and fans the world over. It's been an incredible journey. More to follow. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Peace and Love, Matt Cameron."
Cameron told Billboard that he is "at a point in my life where I want to redirect my time and energy in a way that is a little bit based on what I want to pursue as an artist at this point."
That said, the drummer is putting his energy toward finishing Soundgarden's final album. Billboard noted that the band has been working on new material since 2015 and released their last project, "King Animal," in 2012.
"There's not a set release date or anything as of yet," Cameron told Billboard. "There were a couple schools of thought, like, 'Hey, let's put out a single.' I think eventually we decided we want to make sure the whole thing is completed before we start releasing singles. I'm excited for people to hear it."
"We're definitely over halfway done with it," Cameron added. "Kim [Thayil] is in the process of finishing his guitar parts; he wants to make sure they get exactly the way he wants them."
Soundgarden will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 8. The band is planning to perform at the ceremony in Los Angeles, which will be aired live via Disney+ . This will mark Cameron's second induction, as he was inducted with Pearl Jam back in 2017 .
"They're both huge honors, of course," the drummer told Billboard. "For me, personally, I helped build Soundgarden from the ground up, and I helped create the sound, I think, a little bit more than I did with Pearl Jam, which was definitely more of an established thing that I came into. So in that sense (Soundgarden's induction) is a little more meaningful for me as an artist and musician and songwriter to go in with a band that I helped (to) establish itself."
Cameron's other new music plans include the band Is This Real?, in which he's serving as frontman and guitarist. It began as a Wipers tribute but is now "recording original music" that Cameron has been writong "over the years."
He expects a full album with mostly original material to come in the near future. Cameron and Thayil also continue to work in the all-star 3rd Secret alongside Nirvana's Krist Novoselic, Void's Jon "Bubba" Dupree and others. He hopes to take the band on the road at some point.
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