Pearl Jam Quiets Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Drummer Controversy

Pearl Jam has found a creative solution to their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer controversy.

Earlier this year, when acclaimed alternative rock band Pearl Jam was announced among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017 Inductees, former Pearl Jam drummer Dave Abbruzzese took exception to being excluded. The Cleveland institution will only recognize Pearl Jam’s current and founding drummers for induction.

Many Pearl Jam fans joined in backing Abbruzzese’s alleged “Grievance” — after all, the musician played drums on bestselling Pearl Jam albums such as 1993’s Vs. and Vitalogy (1994) before exiting the chart-topping group. However, Pearl Jam’s current percussionist, Matt Cameron (also of Seattle’s Soundgarden), and founding stick man, Dave Kruzen, are the only drummers on the roll for the band’s 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.

Well, credit goes to Pearl Jam for their problem-solving skill and member-mitigating mastery. The long-running rock band has come up with an ingenious fix for abetting Abbruzzese’s Hall of Fame complaint in addition to offering a token of gratitude to Pearl Jam’s other former drummers — they’ve simply requested all of them to join in the rock and roll jam at their April induction ceremony. Who knew Eddie Vedder and crew were so welcoming?

According to Rolling Stone, Pearl Jam has invited all five of their drummers to their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. That means dishonored drummer Abbruzzese, current rhythm king Cameron, and founding percussionist Krusen are welcome at the induction alongside fellow former Pearl Jam drummers Jack Irons and Matt Chamberlain. Pearl Jam announced the drummer-honoring move in a handwritten note on their website.

Portions of Pearl Jam’s drummer-reuniting note were reprinted in the aforementioned RS update. In the merciful missive, the band’s longtime, non-drumming members (and founders) — singer Eddie Vedder, guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready, and bassist Jeff Ament — saluted all of their past percussionists.

“[W]e do feel fortunate to be recognized and provided the opportunity to reunite with everyone who has been part of the group. […] Specifically the drummers who all left their distinctive mark on our band in the pre-Matt Cameron years.”

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Pearl Jam’s graceful Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer enjoining should go a long way toward appeasing the previously dissatisfied Dave Abbruzzese. As quoted by Rolling Stone, Dave made clear his distaste for the perceived snub by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a public Facebook post he published online back in October.

“The members of Pearl Jam have got to know what’s the right thing to do. They can’t justify ignoring my contributions. Like me or not. If there is still a part of that band that remembers how hard we worked, how much blood and how much sweat. […] They will do the right thing.”

Apparently, not all former Pearl Jam drummers will take the band up on their offer. As noted by Diffuser, Chamberlain has reportedly dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. However, it looks like all systems are go for Jack Irons — as reported by Alternative Nation, the one-time Pearl Jam percussionist (and former Red Hot Chili Pepper) already reunited with Eddie Vedder at a gig on Friday. Perhaps it was a Hall of Fame warmup performance?

Pearl Jam will reunite with the majority of their drummers at the 32nd Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on April 7. The ceremony is scheduled to be broadcast by both HBO and SiriusXM radio.

What do you think of the Pearl Jam Hall of Fame drummer dispute? Are you happy that former Pearl Jam percussionist Dave Abbruzzese will get the chance to perform alongside his bygone Pearl Jam brethren at the induction ceremony? Let us know your pick for favorite Pearl Jam drummer in the comments section below.

[Featured Image by Kvork Djansezian/AP Images]