Matt Cameron Comments on His Career Status Following Split With Pearl Jam

Matt Cameron may be done with Pearl Jam, but that doesn't mean his career is over. The drummer commented on his career status following his split with the band in a new post on social media.

A week ago, Cameron announced his departure from Pearl Jam after playing for the group for 27 years. He noted that there would be "more to follow" from him, leaving fans wondering whether he had launched another musical project or was stepping away from music altogether.

However, in a post on his Instagram Story last night, Cameron revealed that his career is not over just because his time in Pearl Jam is.

"Thank you for the kind words of support and for the record, I'm still an active musician," he wrote.

The Split Was Amicable

When Pearl Jam shared Cameron's announcement on their social media, they noted how much they love and will miss the drummer. The friendly nature of the split left fans perplexed as to why he would leave the band, especially because he's juggled Pearl Jam with several other projects simultaneously — including Soundgarden's reunion in 2010.

This, along with how physically demanding drumming can be after decades, had many fans on Reddit speculating that Cameron is retiring.

READ MORE: 9 Drummers Who Could Replace Matt Cameron in Pearl Jam

"I feel like he’s gonna retire he’s 62 and he said on a few occasions the 45+ years of drumming is finally catching up with him i think he’s done with music or at least drumming in general if that’s the case he had one hell of a career," one person wrote on a thread on the Pearl Jam Reddit page.

However, we know now that that's not the case, so let's explore some other theories fans have about the rocker's next move.

Fan Theories About Cameron's Next Move

Some have asked whether others think Cameron will join Foo Fighters, as the group parted ways with touring drummer Josh Freese earlier this year. Most of the responses have leaned toward no, pointing out that Dave Grohl has handled the band's studio sessions since the death of Taylor Hawkins in 2022.

"I really don't think so, but I also really hope not," a fan wrote. "I'm guessing Soundgarden/Nudedragons may finish their album and tour a bit though."

That leads us to the next biggest theory, which is that Soundgarden will make some sort of comeback. The drummer reunited with his bandmates Kim Thayil and Ben Shepherd this past December for a benefit show in Seattle under the anagram Nudedragons, and they were joined by vocalist Shaina Shepherd.

The band had a new album in the works when Chris Cornell died in the spring of 2017, which would have served as the follow-up to 2012's King Animal. After a bit of legal back-and-forth with the vocalist's widow Vicky Cornell, the band confirmed their plans to finish that album using vocal tracks Cornell had recorded prior to his death.

It's unclear at this time if Soundgarden are currently wrapping up the final album or have any shows planned, but they will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year, so there's at least something to look forward to from the rockers.

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