Drummer Dave Abbruzzese Still Disappointed with Pearl Jam 30 Years After Dismissal

Pearl Jam fans have always compared the band’s past drummers — Dave Krusen, Dave Abbruzzese, Jack Irons, and Matt Cameron (with Matt Chamberlain appearing briefly). Krusen left to enter rehab, Abbruzzese was dismissed largely at the direction of Eddie Vedder, Irons stepped away due to touring demands, and more than 25 years later, Cameron exited for similar touring‑related reasons.

With Cameron calling it quits last year — and later reuniting with Soundgarden for their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame performance in late 2026 — fans and media immediately began speculating about who would take over the drum seat. Dave Abbruzzese, interviewed by Rolling Stone last summer, made it clear he would not be interested in returning if asked.

According to Pearl Jam Online, in a new April 2026 appearance on the podcast Live From My Drumroom, Abbruzzese said he is still hurt by the way he was fired. “I wasn’t given a chance to say goodbye or thank the fans. It was one of the cruelest things anyone’s done to me.” He also implied that Pearl Jam prefers drummers who play within a certain stylistic framework, which can diminish a drummer’s individuality. “I’ve always been the guy who hits hard, really hard. I was probably the one who was too powerful,” he said, according to the site’s transcription.

It remains unclear who Pearl Jam is using — or plans to use — behind the kit. Vedder has said the band is still interested in making new music, but no one in their camp has indicated whether a drummer is currently in place. Speculation among fans has included several veteran players: Stephen Perkins, who recently split from Jane’s Addiction; Josh Freese, who parted ways with Foo Fighters last year; and even former Pearl Jam drummers. For now, only one thing seems certain — Abbruzzese is the least likely to return.