From hitting the road with Paul Simon to jamming with Micah Nelson, here’s what the drummers who helped shape Pearl Jam’s sound are up to in 2025.
Matt Cameron: says goodbye to Pearl Jam, still killin’ it with side projects
On July 7, 2025, Matt Cameron officially parted ways with Pearl Jam after 27 years of banging the skins.
But he’s not slowing down one bit — on September 13, he’s playing a show at Seattle’s Triple Door with his band Is This Real?, a Wipers-tribute project mixing covers and original tracks. For this gig, he’s stepping out from behind the kit and jumping on guitar and vocals. Also on stage that night: Hiro Yamamoto, Soundgarden’s OG bassist.
Recently, Matt also took part in a drum clinic with Jason McGerr (Death Cab for Cutie), proving once again he’s still a major force in the Pacific Northwest music scene.
Jack Irons: grooves, trippy vibes, and elemental love
Jack Irons just dropped news of his new project Barking Dog, born from a collab with Anthony LoGerfo (Promise of the Real) and Micah Nelson AKA Particle Kid (yeah, Willie Nelson’s son).
Their debut EP Elements drops August 15 via Loosegroove Records. It was recorded in Irons’ home studio and features meditative rhythms, experimental sounds, and psychedelic vibes.
Each track is inspired by a natural element, and the band’s name is a shoutout to their dogs — Charms, Plato, and Tsuki.
Dave Abbruzzese: drumming for the internet and repping the ‘90s
Dave Abbruzzese, who rocked with Pearl Jam from 1991 to 1994, has been keeping the beat alive online, posting drum performances of the classic tracks he helped make legendary.
His re-creations of songs from Vs. and Vitalogy, often shared on his Facebook, have become a heartfelt way to connect with the old-school fans.
Matt Chamberlain: brief Pearl Jam stint, now vibing with Paul Simon
Matt Chamberlain had a short-lived Pearl Jam moment back in the summer of ’91 — he even pops up in the Alive music video.
Fast-forward to 2025: he’s one of the most in-demand session drummers on the planet and currently touring with Paul Simon for Quiet Celebration, a low-key and intimate run of shows where his musical versatility takes center stage.
Dave Krusen: from Pearl Jam’s early days to solo vibes
Dave Krusen — the OG drummer on Ten — recently dropped a few solo singles now streaming on all major platforms.
These are raw, honest tracks that show he’s still got the fire to create, more than 30 years after kickstarting Pearl Jam’s journey.
So, who’s gonna be the next Pearl Jam drummer?
With Matt Cameron gone, the last longtime drummer has stepped away. All the drummers who’ve helped shape the PJ legacy are still out there — playing, experimenting, and evolving. Whether it’s punk tributes, solo stuff, global tours or social media jams, each of them keeps the Pearl Jam heartbeat alive.
As of now, there’s been no official word on who’s replacing Cameron. Among fans, Josh Freese’s name used to come up a lot — he’s a friend of Stone Gossard and was already considered when Dave Abbruzzese was fired. But that ship has sailed.
Just a few days ago, Freese rejoined Nine Inch Nails (he played with them years ago), and Ilan Rubin — who recently left NIN — made headlines by becoming the new drummer for the Foo Fighters.
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., Mark Lanegan, R.E.M., Radiohead, Cat Power, Dead Kennedys