In the third part of his interview with Drumeo, Matt Cameron dives into the Temple of the Dog project, his first meeting with Eddie Vedder, joining Pearl Jam in ’98, and his connection to The Fixer.
This third part of Matt’s chat with Drumeo is a goldmine for Pearl Jam and Soundgarden fans alike.
After digging into his technique, early years, and artistic growth in the first two parts (we covered that here), this new section hits more emotional and historical notes: Cameron talks Temple of the Dog, meeting Eddie Vedder, getting the call from Pearl Jam in ’98, his drum predecessors, and his special bond with The Fixer.
Temple of the Dog
“That record is just insane from start to finish,” Matt says about Temple of the Dog. “It came out really, really well.”
It was during that project that Matt first crossed paths with Eddie Vedder: “When Eddie rolled into town, it was like a new sheriff had arrived. You could tell he was tough, there was something special about him.” Cameron had already laid down early Pearl Jam demos with Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, and Mike McCready, but Eddie wasn’t in the mix yet. Those demos got sent to Eddie, who wrote lyrics over the tracks. A few months later, they were side by side in the studio working on the tribute album for Andrew Wood, the late singer of Mother Love Bone.
One of the interview’s most touching moments is about the song Wooden Jesus, one of the most spiritual tunes on the Temple of the Dog album. Cameron breaks down the groove: “I was trying to give a melodic feel to the toms, thinking of them as notes — mid, low, high — and fitting them into the riff.” The groove’s in 6/8, tipping the hat to Steve Gadd, plus a woodblock hit with the left foot during the 2016 tours — pure rhythmic magic.
Joining Pearl Jam
Another cool part of the interview is Matt talking about joining Pearl Jam. After Jack Irons left in ’98, Cameron got the call to step in: “They asked me to cover the tour for Jack, and they needed someone fast. I think there were just three weeks before it started.” He said yes, and quickly became an official member: “Everyone was super welcoming. We already knew each other, we were friends. I just slid right into their workflow.”
That said, Matt admits it wasn’t easy at first: “I was playing way too fast. I had to chill out. And I had to try to get closer to the styles of the drummers before me.” He’s got mad respect for them: “I had to try to play like Dave Abbruzzese, Dave Krusen — musicians with really different styles — and Jack Irons… man, Jack has such a unique touch. That’s one of the cool things about Pearl Jam: every drummer brought their own vibe. My job was to learn the catalog and do my best to keep the band rolling and get them back on the road.”
The Soundgarden and Pearl Jam Connection
Between 2010 and 2017, Matt was juggling gigs with both Pearl Jam and Soundgarden — except for some stretches, like 2014 and 2015, when Matt Chamberlain filled in: “It was awesome but brutal. Playing with both bands took insane physical and mental prep.”
Still, despite their differences, Cameron says the two bands share a lot: “They both have a super strong group ethic. In the studio or on stage, it’s always really collaborative.”
The Fixer
At the end of the interview, Cameron sits behind the kit and jams on a track that means a lot to him: The Fixer from Backspacer. The song was a collab with Stone Gossard: “It’s one of my favorites. We wrote it together in 2009, and I still have a blast playing it.”
In the track, Cameron’s drums hit hard and drive the song into power pop territory, but still keep that signature rhythmic feel that’s all him — tight, melodic, and groovy.
Check out the full Matt Cameron interview right here.
Born in Reggio Emilia in 1980. He created pearljamonline.it in 2001 and wrote the first edition of “Pearl Jam Evolution” in 2009 along with his wife Daria. Since 2022, he is behind 2 podcasts: “Pearl Jam dalla A alla Z” and “Fuori Orario Not Another Podcast”. He has collaborated with Barracuda Style, HvsR, Rolling Stone, Rockol and Il Fatto Quotidiano. He continues relentlessly to try to find “beautiful melodies that say terrible things”.
Favorite song: Present Tense
Favorite album: No Code
Favorite bands/artists other than PJ: Tom Waits, Soundgarden, Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, IDLES, Fontaines D.C., The Murder Capital, Dead Kennedys, Mark Lanegan, Cat Power, R.E.M.