Matt Cameron
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Matt Cameron | ||
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 Matt Cameron on a promotional poster by Zildjian circa 1997.
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Matthew Cameron | |
| Also known as | Foo Cameron Tad Dameron |
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| Born | November 28, 1962 (age 44) San Diego, California, USA |
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| Genre(s) | Grunge Rock |
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| Occupation(s) | Musician Songwriter |
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| Instrument(s) | Drums Vocals |
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| Years active | 1978 — Present | |
| Label(s) | J Records Cruz Records Sub Pop SST A&M Records C/Z Third Gear Epic Records Time Bomb TVT Mega Force |
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| Associated acts |
Pearl Jam feeDBack Skin Yard Soundgarden Temple of the Dog Tone Dogs Hater Wellwater Conspiracy Queens of the Stone Age |
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Matt Cameron (born Matthew D. Cameron, November 28, 1962, in San Diego, California) is an American musician renowned for playing drums in the grunge rock bands Soundgarden (1986-1997) and Pearl Jam (1998-present). He has also been a back-up vocalist for both bands.
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[edit] Early years
Cameron began playing drums at an early age. At the age of 13, he and some friends played in a cover band called "Kiss" (with the word imitation written underneath the name, in small print). During this stint, he met Paul Stanley. However, after a letter from the management of the band KISS threatened the children with legal action if they did not cease their infringement, the band melted away.
In 1978, under the pseudonym "Foo Cameron", Cameron sang the song "Puberty Love" which was featured in the movie Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. In the early 1980s he moved to Seattle and played in the local band feeDBack.
[edit] Professional career
[edit] (1985-1986) Skin Yard
After playing with Daniel House in Seattle instrumental band, feeDBack, Matt joined House in the newly formed Skin Yard which he stayed with for almost a year. As their drummer he recorded their first self-titled record and appears on the 2001-released odds-n-sods Skin Yard Collection, Start at the Top. Matt wrote the song "Reptile" for the band which appears on their first record.
[edit] (1986-1997) Soundgarden
By September of 1986, Cameron had gained so much notoriety in the local music scene that he was chosen to play for Soundgarden, replacing drummer Scott Sundquist. Cameron played with Soundgarden, considered one of the "big four" Seattle bands of the grunge era (along with Nirvana, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam), from 1986 until the band's 1997 break-up. With Soundgarden, Matt recorded the albums Ultramega OK, Louder Than Love, Badmotorfinger, Superunknown, and Down on the Upside. The band broke-up in 1997, due to internal strife over their creative direction.
While a member of Soundgarden, Matt wrote the following songs for the band:
- "He Didn’t" (Ultramega OK) ... Music
- "Jesus Christ Pose" (Badmotorfinger) ... Music (Co-Written)
- "Room a Thousand Years Wide" (Badmotorfinger) ... Music
- "Drawing Flies" (Badmotorfinger) ... Music
- "New Damage" (Badmotorfinger) ... Music (Co-Written)
- "Mailman" (Superunknown) ... Music
- "Limo Wreck" (Superunknown) ... Music (Co-Written)
- "Fresh Tendrils" (Superunknown) ... Lyrics (Co-Written) and Music
- "Rhinosaur" (Down on the Upside) ... Music
- "Applebite" (Down on the Upside) ... Music
[edit] (1997-1998) The Smashing Pumpkins
Rumours circuated in the beginning of 1998 that he was considered as a permanent drummer replacement for The Smashing Pumpkins. Cameron contributed his drumming on seven tracks considered for the album Adore, though only the epic and highly acclaimed "For Martha" appeared on the album. Cameron denied rumours of joining the band, revealing on January 21, 1998 in a chat room for a Seattle drum company, "I have no intentions of joining The Smashing Pumpkins".
[edit] (1998-present) Pearl Jam
Almost a year after Soundgarden's break-up, Cameron found similar occupation in a similar style band. In summer 1998, he was invited to play with rock-colleagues Pearl Jam to drum on their Yield Tour after the band's drummer Jack Irons left due to health issues. Soon, during the tour, he was invited to become a full-time member and he's been in the band ever since. Cameron had worked with the members of the band before on the Temple of the Dog project and had helped them record some early demos in 1990. With Pearl Jam he has recorded three studio albums (Binaural, Riot Act, and the latest Pearl Jam) and one live album entitled Live on Two Legs.
Since joining Pearl Jam, Matt has written the following songs for the band:
- "Evacuation" (Binaural) ... Music
- "In The Moonlight" (Lost Dogs/Binaural sessions) ... Lyrics and Music
- "Save You" (Riot Act) ... Music (Co-Written)
- "Cropduster" (Riot Act) ... Music
- "You Are" (Riot Act) ... Lyrics (Co-Written), Music, and played Rhythm Guitar
- "Get Right" (Riot Act) ... Lyrics and Music
- "Unemployable" (Pearl Jam) ... Music (Co-Written)
While not as frequent as the other members' written contributions, Matt's are held in high regard by the band, as are his performances. In the liner notes of the Lost Dogs compilation, Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder says:
Matt Cameron writes songs and we run to find step stools in order to reach his level. What comes naturally to him leaves us with our heads cocked like the confused dogs that we are...eventually getting it. Did we mention he's the greatest drummer on the planet?
[edit] Other projects
Despite a career in rock music, Cameron stated in a 1989 radio interview that growing up he "wasn't a big rock fan..." and that his musical tastes during his youth were "more into jazz." He played in a jazz-influenced side project called Tone Dogs in the early 1990s. Cameron also has a fondness for psychedelic garage rock, and his side project Wellwater Conspiracy reflects this.
Cameron also appears on the Gamma Ray EP which would become the first recorded material by Queens of the Stone Age. The sessions, recorded in 1995 were also re-released with an additional unreleased track (also from the sessions) on the Kyuss/Queens of the Stone Age split EP. Matt would play only one show with the band on Nov. 20, 1997 before leaving.
Other albums Cameron has played drums on include Geddy Lee's 2000 solo album My Favourite Headache, former bandmate Chris Cornell's 1999 solo album Euphoria Morning on the track "Disappearing One", and on four tracks on Eleven's 1995 album Thunk.
He along with fellow Pearl Jam bandmate Mike McCready have also contributed two songs to Peter Frampton's instrumental album, Fingerprints. These include a cover of Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" and "Blowin' Smoke".
[edit] Equipment
Unlike his contemporaries Dave Abbruzzese (Pearl Jam), Sean Kinney (Alice in Chains) and Jimmy Chamberlin (Smashing Pumpkins), which have extensive cymbal setups, Cameron's setup is rather simple: Three matching crashes (19" Zildjian Z customs), a ride, and 15" hihats. Prior to 1996's Down on the Upside, a China cymbal was used infrequently, most notably on Superunknown's closing track "Like Suicide". In a 1994 interview with Modern Drummer magazine, it was revealed that in order to emphasize the shift in dynamics, two kits were used, the latter consisting of larger diameter toms.
Matt has used California-based DW drums during his time with Soundgarden exempting 1996's Down on the Upside recording and tour, during which he was endorsed by the Canadian custom outfit Ayotte, of which cohort Jeremy Taggart (Our Lady Peace) is a long-time artist. Matt is pictured at his Ayotte kit at the beginning of this article.
Cameron's time with Pearl Jam is also notable for his shift away from maple-shelled drums, arguably the most popular drum material in the rock market for its low fundamental tone and strong projection, in favor of birch, which is higher-pitched than maple and has fewer overtones. During the Yield Tour he could be seen using his purple Ayotte kit, the very same employed on Soundgarden's SNL performances of "Pretty Noose" and "Burden in My Hand"(during which the bass drum read "Go Sonics!", a reference to the Seattle basketball team). Currently, Matt is endorsed by Yamaha, and can be seen playing Birch Custom Absolutes in Vintage Natural finish.
[edit] Personal life
Matt Cameron has enjoyed a friendship with fellow drummer Jeremy Taggart of Canadian rock group Our Lady Peace. When Taggart was sidelined with an ankle injury during the recording of that group's 2000 release Spiritual Machines, Cameron played drums on songs such as "Right Behind You (Mafia)" and "Are You Sad?". Cameron has also contributed to the film soundtrack to 2002's Spider-Man, playing on "Hero" with Chad Kroeger and Josey Scott. Unable to attend the shoot, Jeremy Taggart returned the favor and is shown in Cameron's place in the video.
Matt currently resides near Seattle, Washington with his wife, April, son Ray and daughter Josie.
[edit] Discography
[edit] External links
- Pearl Jam's Ten Club
- Official Website of Wellwater Conspiracy
- All Music Guide entry for Matt Cameron
- Matt Cameron - Lukin.com
| Soundgarden |
| Chris Cornell | Kim Thayil | Matt Cameron | Ben Shepherd |
| Scott Sundquist | Hiro Yamamoto | Jason Everman |
| Discography |
|---|
| Albums and extended plays: Screaming Life | Fopp | Ultramega OK | Flower | Louder than Love | Screaming Life/Fopp | Badmotorfinger | Superunknown | Songs from the Superunknown | Down on the Upside | A-Sides |
| Singles: "Hunted Down" | "Flower" | "Loud Love" | "Hands All Over" | "Room a Thousand Years Wide" | "Jesus Christ Pose" | "Outshined" | "Rusty Cage" | "Spoonman" | "Black Hole Sun" | "Fell on Black Days" | "My Wave" | "The Day I Tried to Live" | "Superunknown" | "Pretty Noose" | "Burden in My Hand" | "Blow Up the Outside World" | "Ty Cobb" | "Bleed Together" |
| Related Articles |
| Temple of the Dog | Singles | Grunge music | Audioslave | Pearl Jam | Alice Mudgarden | Hater | Wellwater Conspiracy |
