The drummer explains why he left Pearl Jam and looks ahead to the future with Soundgarden, Is This Real?, and 3rd Secret.

After months of silence, Matt Cameron has clarified the reasons for his departure from Pearl Jam.

The drummer, who officially joined the band in 1998 and left on July 7, 2025, shared that the decision was primarily due to the length and intensity of the live shows.

“I was having some issues with (Pearl Jam’s) three-hour shows and constant touring and stuff”, Cameron told Billboard, adding: “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.”

Cameron emphasized that he gave the band plenty of notice before leaving and had some conversations with Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard after the decision, confirming that his departure was amicable. “I’ve spoken with Jeff and Stone a little bit…It’s been fine. Hopefully we’ll get back together at some point and have a beer or something.” he concluded.

Comments that sound kinda odd for a few reasons:

The band stopped touring in the “usual” way – like most rock bands do, from Metallica to Queens of the Stone Age – back in 2007, to spend more time with their families (totally respectable choice, if you ask us). Still, you can’t really say Pearl Jam’s tours have been all that steady, especially in the last few years, pandemic aside.
The line “Hopefully we’ll get back together at some point and have a beer or something” sounds chill on a personal level, but at the same time it kinda gives off the vibe of a clean break.
About those three-hour Pearl Jam shows: truth is, they haven’t played sets that long since 2018. So yeah, it’s not a stretch to think the band decided to shorten the gigs in recent years partly to make things easier on Cameron.

If the Pearl Jam chapter seems closed, Cameron’s future appears far from empty.

On the Soundgarden front, the drummer confirmed that the posthumous album is “over halfway done” and is expected to be released in 2026. Kim Thayil is meticulously refining the guitar parts, and at this time, there are no plans to release singles (initially planned around their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November) until the album is completed.

The identified songs are eight, a material that alternates between epic hard rock moments and more intimate and intense passages, with a huge emotional impact for those still working on Cornell’s vocals.

Among the tracks expected to be part of Soundgarden’s posthumous album are:

• Ahead Of The Dog (Cornell/Thayil)
• At Ophians Door (Cornell/Cameron)
• Cancer (Cornell)
• Merrmas (Cornell/Shepherd)
• Orphans (Cornell/Cameron)
• Road Less Traveled (Cornell/Cameron)
• Stone Age Mind (Cornell)

Meanwhile, Cameron is moving forward with his more recent projects. With Is This Real?, a band originally formed as a tribute to the Wipers, he has decided to go beyond covers: next year, an album featuring several songs written by him over the past few years may be released.

Not only that: Cameron continues to play with 3rd Secret, the band that features him alongside Krist Novoselic of Nirvana, demonstrating how his career remains vital and ever-evolving. They are expected to wrap up recording their third studio album soon and may even go on tour.

In conclusion, leaving Pearl Jam marks the end of an era but also opens up new paths. Cameron looks ahead, torn between an emotional return to the past with Soundgarden and the creation of new musical ventures that once again showcase his inexhaustible creativity.

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.