Former Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron joined a session with Drumeo, a platform where renowned drummers are challenged to play songs they have never heard before. In the segment, Cameron listened to “Just Pretend” by Bad Omens for the very first time and attempted to play along on the spot.
After the performance, Cameron shared his immediate reaction to the track, expressing genuine admiration for the band and their music.
“Good song. Cool. That was cool,” Cameron said. “But no, that’s a really nice song. Great band. I mean, great songwriting. Love it. Great drummer. Wow. Kudos.”
The performance resonated strongly with Bad Omens fans, who praised Cameron’s approach to the unfamiliar material. One fan noted his respectful handling of the song.
“I really enjoyed Matt’s take on this,” a fan commented. “He was really respectful and aware of the song’s important points and he fit his ideas in with the song rather than trying to out drum the song.”
Another fan highlighted Cameron’s musicianship and his willingness to learn from the experience.
“Matt made the track his and added more octane to an already fiery song,” another fan wrote. “Man, he is an excellent student of the game. You can see that he was still actively listening to the full song in order to take possible lessons in. What an artist.”
The session has drawn widespread attention from both rock and drumming communities, further cementing Cameron’s reputation as one of the most respected drummers in the genre.
The appearance is part of a broader collaboration between Cameron and Drumeo, offering fans a deeper look at the legendary drummer’s musical instincts and career.
As Revolver Magazine reported, Cameron is the latest drummer to think outside the box for Drumeo’s “For the First Time” YouTube series. The series introduces a musician to a song they have never heard and challenges them to create their own drum part around it. The format has become a popular showcase for how elite drummers approach unfamiliar material in real time.
Drumeo’s official Facebook page confirmed that the episode was released as a Drumeo LIVE feature. It included an hour-long conversation with Cameron about his career with Soundgarden and other projects. The extended format gave fans a rare opportunity to hear Cameron reflect on his decades-long journey through some of rock’s most iconic bands.
This is not Cameron’s first time working with Drumeo. Modern Drummer noted that Cameron previously appeared on the platform to break down the drumming on Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun.” He offered a detailed walkthrough of his playing and kit-work on the classic track. That session was equally well-received, reinforcing his reputation as both a technically gifted and thoughtful musician.
Cameron’s willingness to engage with newer artists like Bad Omens speaks to his open-minded approach to music. The crossover between his grunge legacy and the modern rock world has resonated with fans across generations, making the Drumeo session one of the more talked-about drum-related moments in recent memory.
