Pearl Jam Reveals Where Things Stand Following Drummer’s Departure After 27 Years
· Vice
Pearl Jam has been without a drummer since July 2025, when Matt Cameron retired after 27 years with the band. They seem to be taking their time filling that role. Bassist Jeff Ament even admitted they’re “not in any massive rush” to find a new drummer.
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However, Ament also said that Pearl Jam is hoping to schedule live shows for 2027. Ideally when they’re still “physically young-ish”. Ament added that there is some urgency to get back on stage while they can. Even so, they’re still procrastinating finding a replacement for Cameron.
As for Matt Cameron himself, his departure from Pearl Jam seemed sudden for his bandmates. But in reality, he foreshadowed his retirement several years earlier. He and Ament would often joke about how many years they had left in the band, teasing about leaving once they both turned 60. To Ament, it was simply a joke at the expense of the band’s long life. But for Cameron, it turned out to be serious.
Pearl Jam Takes Their Time Finding New Drummer, While Matt Cameron Plans Other Endeavors
Matt Cameron parted ways with Pearl Jam after growing weary of the touring lifestyle. He joined the band in 1998, playing drums on every subsequent album and countless tours since then. After almost 30 years of that, plus his time in Soundgarden, it seemed that Cameron was ready to slow down a bit.
But Jeff Ament admitted that his longtime friend and bandmate struggled after Chris Cornell’s death in 2017. Cameron was with Soundgarden beginning in 1986, through to their first break-up in 1998 when he joined Pearl Jam, then from their 2010 reunion until Cornell’s death.
“I think when Chris [Cornell] passed that was a massive hit for all of us, but in particular for Matt,” Ament told Under the Radar in November 2026. “I know there was a period of time where he wasn’t sure he wanted to even play anymore, and pretty much since then he’s been talking about winding it down and wanting to do some other things.”
Ament added, “He’s got some other itches to scratch but it was a pretty f***ing sad moment. You’ve got years of traveling the world and making music together, but I’m stoked for him.”
There’s no word yet on what Matt Cameron’s “other itches” are, or if his next endeavors will be as public as Pearl Jam. Maybe he wants to take up woodworking; there’s really no telling. Meanwhile, Pearl Jam might have to find a new drummer sooner than they’d like to if they want to avoid the dreaded revolving door lineup.
Photo by Jim Bennett/Getty Images
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