Matt Cameron leaves Pearl Jam after 27 years

[MetalSludgeCEO]

Not surprised. When Taylor Hawkins passed, a bunch of his drummer friends went on record (including Matt) about how difficult it gets to play hard rock drums into older age.

Then in recent years I read things like Charlie Benante warms up his hands for 45-60 minutes before he plays, Lars does 90 minutes of Peloton a day and eats nothing but egg whites and tofu. I can’t think of a major touring rock drummer other than Abe Laboriel Jr who isn’t in Olympic-level physical shape.

When I turned 40 I started getting random pains from drumming in parts of my body where I didn’t even know nerves existed, and I’m in pretty good shape. If I go hard for two hours I’m just wrecked afterward. I cannot imagine how difficult it is to play hard at 60, 4-5 nights per week. Guessing Matt quit for the same reason Herb from Primus did.

"""""""""""""a bunch of his drummer friends went on record (including Matt) about how difficult it gets to play hard rock drums into older age.""""""""""""""""

I was just going to post exactly this!

Drumming is a very physical thing... much more than the other positions in a band, which by the way... ALL have their complexities for sure!


""""""""""""" I cannot imagine how difficult it is to play hard at 60, 4-5 nights per week."""""""""""""""

Also... the travel part is what really starts to kick your ass.

Going from city to city, state to state, country to country, time zones changing, weather changing, etc...

$tEvil

[LAglamrocker]

Dude has always realized he has worst job in music
He got himself money and fame. Good for him if that’s what he wants. I wouldn’t consider the drummer for Pearl Jam as being famous- what drag that must be. Being forced to learn 150 Pearl Jam songs
Playing outdated grunge music for decades must suck. Looking out to 20,000 per night mostly all aging male dorks that have been working at Apple Store for decades..gross

His next gig will be more hard rock band..not the wimpy grunge sound. Dude will do his best trying to get the gig for someone like Pearcy or Keifer

I think he will go the extreme way and try for Dimmu Borgir or Ghost

[Gibsonite]

Not surprised. When Taylor Hawkins passed, a bunch of his drummer friends went on record (including Matt) about how difficult it gets to play hard rock drums into older age.

Then in recent years I read things like Charlie Benante warms up his hands for 45-60 minutes before he plays, Lars does 90 minutes of Peloton a day and eats nothing but egg whites and tofu. I can’t think of a major touring rock drummer other than Abe Laboriel Jr who isn’t in Olympic-level physical shape.

When I turned 40 I started getting random pains from drumming in parts of my body where I didn’t even know nerves existed, and I’m in pretty good shape. If I go hard for two hours I’m just wrecked afterward. I cannot imagine how difficult it is to play hard at 60, 4-5 nights per week. Guessing Matt quit for the same reason Herb from Primus did.

"""""""""""""a bunch of his drummer friends went on record (including Matt) about how difficult it gets to play hard rock drums into older age.""""""""""""""""

I was just going to post exactly this!

Drumming is a very physical thing... much more than the other positions in a band, which by the way... ALL have their complexities for sure!


""""""""""""" I cannot imagine how difficult it is to play hard at 60, 4-5 nights per week."""""""""""""""

Also... the travel part is what really starts to kick your ass.

Going from city to city, state to state, country to country, time zones changing, weather changing, etc...

$tEvil

Also, while PJ have cut their show lengths in recent years, they're still doing 2 1/2 hrs on average every night. It's not like they're playing 70 mins and going home lol

[risingfarce]

Peart also did himself no favors by riding his motorcycle between gigs. That had to take something out of him. But I also know that he took up weightlifting later in life, right around the time you moved to Santa Monica. You could see it on the Vapor Trails tour that he'd gotten real buff. He frequently talked about working out at the YMCA on his personal site, which seems kind of funny in a city full of celebrity gyms he chose to work out at the most plebeian facility he could find. But I guess that's Neil for you.

I read somewhere that Vinny Coliuta, one of the true great living drummers, is on the bench too with injuries and at his age he's probably not coming back. I don't know how Dave Lombardo, Danny Carey, or for that matter Terry Bozzio do it, especially Bozzio. Have you seen him? No one will confuse him with Danny.

Every time I watch Greyson Nekrutman I think, enjoy your youth, son. He is godly good but won't last playing like that.

He had foot infections due to his feet getting wet while he drove his motorcycle between shows. He shouldn't have been riding his motorcycle. Save that for after the tour. The gig should have been his focus, not his bike. Also, sitting on a bike for that many hours put wear on his body. He should have either been flying first class or traveled via RV.

I agree that it wasn't good for his physical health as a drummer, especially a drummer who played like he did, but I don't know if he would have done it any other way. Apparently, for his mental and emotional health, riding his motorcycle made touring bearable. Kind of like therapy, especially for a guy lost his daughter and first wife in the space of a year or so. Also an ideal way to travel from gig to gig and being able to avoid press, autograph seekers, and other distractions not related to the actual work on stage. Supposedly, he was seldom recognized in off the beaten path truck stops and diners in America and Canada, which suited him just fine. Peart flew when he had to, but grew to fear/hate flying as he got older. Geddy's book touches on some of this.

Correct. Peart would not have toured if he had to spend the entire tour in an RV or flying to each gig.

[PBFSUCKS]

Dude has always realized he has worst job in music
He got himself money and fame. Good for him if that’s what he wants. I wouldn’t consider the drummer for Pearl Jam as being famous- what drag that must be. Being forced to learn 150 Pearl Jam songs
Playing outdated grunge music for decades must suck. Looking out to 20,000 per night mostly all aging male dorks that have been working at Apple Store for decades..gross

His next gig will be more hard rock band..not the wimpy grunge sound. Dude will do his best trying to get the gig for someone like Pearcy or Keifer

I think he will go the extreme way and try for Dimmu Borgir or Ghost

The alternative to playing to 20,000 dorks is playing to 20 of you. I think he did ok.

[TheCULTofMANSON]

Bring back Dave Abbruzzese please.

Maybe Matt will be busy working on the final Soundgarden album.

Agreed