Matt Cameron facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matt Cameron
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Cameron drumming with Soundgarden in 2013
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| Birth name | Matthew David Cameron |
| Also known as | Foo Cameron III Ted Dameron MFC |
| Born | November 28, 1962 San Diego, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1975–present |
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Matthew David Cameron (born November 28, 1962) is an American musician best known as the drummer for the rock bands Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. He is a famous figure in the Seattle music scene.
Cameron first became famous when he joined Soundgarden in 1986. He played on all of the band's studio albums. After Soundgarden broke up in 1997, he joined Pearl Jam the next year. When Soundgarden reunited in 2010, Cameron played for both bands at the same time. He stayed with Soundgarden until the band ended in 2017 after the death of singer Chris Cornell. On July 7, 2025, Cameron announced he had left Pearl Jam.
He was also a member of the supergroup Temple of the Dog and played in other bands like Hater and Wellwater Conspiracy.
In 2016, Rolling Stone magazine named him one of the "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time." Cameron is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: once with Pearl Jam (inducted in 2017) and once with Soundgarden (inducted in 2025). He has also won two Grammy Awards with Soundgarden.
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Early Life and First Bands
Matt Cameron was born in San Diego, California. He started playing the drums when he was very young. When he was 13, he and his friends started a cover band that played songs by the band Kiss.
In 1978, using the nickname "Foo Cameron," he sang the song "Puberty Love" for the movie Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.
In 1983, Cameron moved to Seattle, Washington. He played drums for a band called Bam Bam, which was led by singer Tina Bell. After that, he joined a band called Skin Yard in 1985. He played on their first album and wrote the song "Reptile." He left Skin Yard in 1986 to join Soundgarden.
Career with Famous Bands
Soundgarden (1986–1997; 2010–2017)
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In 1986, Cameron became the drummer for Soundgarden. The other members were singer Chris Cornell, guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. The band became one of the most important groups in the grunge music movement.
They signed with the record label A&M Records and released the album Louder Than Love in 1989. After bassist Ben Shepherd joined, they released Badmotorfinger in 1991, which made them even more popular.
Their 1994 album, Superunknown, was a huge success. It went to number one on the music charts and had hit singles like "Spoonman" and "Black Hole Sun". Cameron's drumming was a key part of the album's sound, especially with its tricky rhythms. The album won two Grammy Awards.
The band released one more album, Down on the Upside, in 1996 before breaking up in 1997.
In 2010, Soundgarden got back together. They released a new album called King Animal in 2012 and toured again. The band ended in 2017 after Chris Cornell passed away.
Songs Written for Soundgarden
While in Soundgarden, Cameron helped write many songs, including:
- "Jesus Christ Pose"
- "Room a Thousand Years Wide"
- "Mailman"
- "Rhinosaur"
- "By Crooked Steps"
Pearl Jam (1998–2025)
In 1998, a year after Soundgarden broke up, Cameron was asked to join Pearl Jam. Their drummer, Jack Irons, had left the band. Cameron already knew the members of Pearl Jam because he had worked with them on the Temple of the Dog project.
He quickly learned over 80 of their songs and became their full-time drummer. He was the band's longest-serving drummer. Guitarist Mike McCready said that Cameron made Pearl Jam "a way better band."
With Cameron, Pearl Jam released many successful albums, including:
- Binaural (2000)
- Riot Act (2002)
- Pearl Jam (2006)
- Backspacer (2009)
- Lightning Bolt (2013)
- Gigaton (2020)
Songs Written for Pearl Jam
Cameron also wrote songs for Pearl Jam, such as:
- "Save You"
- "Cropduster"
- "You Are"
- "The Fixer"
- "Take the Long Way"
On July 7, 2025, Cameron announced on his Instagram that he was leaving Pearl Jam. He thanked the crew, staff, and fans for their support over the years.
Other Music Projects
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Besides his main bands, Cameron has worked on many other musical projects.
- Temple of the Dog: In 1991, he joined members of Soundgarden and future members of Pearl Jam to record an album to honor singer Andrew Wood, who had passed away.
- Hater and Wellwater Conspiracy: These were side project bands he formed with Soundgarden's bassist, Ben Shepherd. In Wellwater Conspiracy, Cameron was also the lead singer.
- 3rd Secret: In 2021, he formed this group with Kim Thayil from Soundgarden and Krist Novoselic from Nirvana. They released their first album in 2022.
He has also played drums on albums for other artists, including The Smashing Pumpkins, Geddy Lee of Rush, and Peter Frampton.
Musical Style
Cameron is known as one of rock's best and most flexible drummers. He is praised for his power, timing, and creativity. He is skilled at playing in unusual time signatures, which are rhythms that are not common in rock music. This can be heard in Soundgarden songs like "Jesus Christ Pose" and "Spoonman."
His biggest influence was Keith Moon, the drummer for the Who. Although he is famous for rock music, Cameron has said he also loves jazz and progressive rock.
Personal Life
Cameron is married to April Acevez, and they have two children. The family lives in Woodway, Washington. Besides music, he enjoys running.
Discography
- Soundgarden
- Ultramega OK (1988)
- Louder Than Love (1989)
- Badmotorfinger (1991)
- Superunknown (1994)
- Down on the Upside (1996)
- King Animal (2012)
- Pearl Jam
- Binaural (2000)
- Riot Act (2002)
- Pearl Jam (2006)
- Backspacer (2009)
- Lightning Bolt (2013)
- Gigaton (2020)
- Dark Matter (2024)
- Solo
- Cavedweller (2017)
- Gory Scorch Cretins (2023)
Images for kids
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Cameron with Pearl Jam in 2018
See also
In Spanish: Matt Cameron para niños
