In the dense 35-year history of Pearl Jam, we have witnessed only a few personnel changes, mainly at the drum stool. Former drummers Dave Krusen (1990-1991), Dave Abbruzzese (1991-1994), and Jack Irons (1994-1998) are all credited with contributing to the complex writing during their tenure.
As the Seattle band swung between the extremes of Pearl Jam democratically taking all credit (Abbruzzese as one of the entire group composing both Vs. (1993) and Vitalogy (1994)) or granting individual acknowledgment (Irons is listed as a co-writer on six cuts over his four-year tenure,) the drummer was more than a timekeeper.
Following his previous tenure in Soundgarden, while also playing with bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard in Temple of the Dog, Matt Cameron entered Pearl Jam and "the house that they built" at a time when their doors were opening to new ideas.
Matt Cameron's contributions to Pearl Jam as a songwriter/co-writer
Pearl Jam opened the new millennium looking for a new identity. Post-Grunge Pearl Jam is largely concerned with the pulse of adulthood. Cameron's first recorded output on Binaural (2000) sees the band stretching in many directions. His booming snare on "Nothing As It Seems" fills in the hollowness as it unfolds.
On the opening "Breakerfall," Cameron rescues the track from its Who-ness by imposing a straight driving beat underneath it. Although brief, his co-write with Eddie Vedder on "Evacuation" quickly develops a new use for his Soundgarden-esque high-hat pulls and off-tempo stops.
Pearl Jam - "Evacuation" (Binaural)
Working through the tragedies of nine deaths at Roskilde and 9/11, Riot Act (2002) seeks to tame a torrent of conflicting emotions. With the addition of keyboardist Kenneth "Boom" Gaspar, Pearl Jam struggles with love in all of its definitions ("Love Boat Captain"). Cameron's writing influence increases to four cuts here.
"Cropduster" is a fairly typical Pearl Jam midtempo driver redeemed by terse but effective lyrics ("I thought the world/Turns out the world thought me") before the punky "Get Right" gives the record a midpoint boost. While "I Am Mine" remains the emotional apex of the record, Cameron's out-of-tempo groove (and guitar work) on "You Are" clearly inspired Pearl Jam to move in different rhythmic circles.
Pearl Jam - "You Are" (Riot Act)
Cameron would continue to revisit the slightly sped-up "Limo Wreck" feel of "You Are" until he punched one through as the hit single "The Fixer" heralded the release of Backspacer (2009). At a much faster tempo, Cameron's variety of odd-time melodies gel into riffs that pull forward and backward against a thoroughly Vedder-ish anthemic chorus for all the members to sing in unison.
Pearl Jam - "The Fixer" (Backspacer)
Amid all the heartfelt tributes to Cameron and Pearl Jam remembering him as a "true powerhouse of a musician and a drummer," the Pearl Jam bulletin boards lit up with memories and praise for the veteran drummer. One optimistic fan put it best, "I remember when Jack quit, it felt like the band was over. It actually was just getting started."