Acclaimed drummer Matt Cameron, best known for his legendary tenure with Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, recently participated in Drumeo‘s popular “For The First Time” video series. The ongoing segment challenges world-class musicians to craft and perform drum parts on the spot for songs they have never heard before.
In the newly released episode, the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee was introduced to the music of rising alternative metal stars Bad Omens. The chosen track for the session was their massive 2022 breakout hit, “Just Pretend“, a single that achieved viral success on TikTok and officially earned the band their first platinum certification in April 2024.
As per the format of the Drumeo series, the original drum tracks were completely removed from the audio, giving the veteran musician a blank slate to interpret the song his own way. Bad Omens drummer Nick Folio also filmed a reaction to the unique performance, which was included in the final video.
Before diving into the track, Cameron jokingly referenced another modern metal powerhouse that the channel had previously exposed him to.
“Just don’t Sleep Token me,” Cameron joked. He then went on to share his high praise for the masked collective, adding: “I was turned on to that band from your channel and the music is so f**king good.”
Speaking with Billboard in September last year, Cameron explained why he left Pearl Jam in July 2025.
“I was having some issues with [Pearl Jam’s] three-hour shows and constant touring and stuff,” he said at the time. “That’s definitely an art form unto itself, to be able to do those types of shows… I’m at a point now where I want to do a face-melting 70-minute set, and that’s kind of what I’m focusing on right now.”
“I definitely gave them a lot of notice,” he explained. “I’ve spoken with Jeff [Ament] and Stone [Gossard] a little bit… It’s been fine. Hopefully we’ll get back together at some point and have a beer or something.”
Matt Cameron is currently working on finishing final Soungarden album with Chris Cornell‘s vocals alongside Kim Thayil, Ben Shepherd, and Terry Date.
