Matthew D. Cameron was born on November 28, 1962 in San Diego, California. Matt started playing drums around the age of 11 and studied snare drum technique with John Szanto of the San Diego Symphony at age 17. Soon after he made his singing debut, on "The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" movie soundtrack-a high pitched, embarrassing track called "Puberty Love" that the Mattster lent his voice (kinda) to, and understandably hates talking about it, he did mention that all the kids in his neighborhood were involved with that movie. Matt followed Daniel House when he moved to Seattle to assumlibly see what was happening in the music scene, him and Daniel were in a local outfit called Feedback . He then subsequently joined another Seattle band Skin Yard. After a few months in Skin Yard, he was approached by Chris Cornell of the embryonic band Soundgarden. We think the conversation went something like this:

Chris: Matt! Are you home?
Matt: What? Who is this?
C: This is Chris! Chris Cornell from Soundgarden!
M: Soundgarden? You guys wail!
C: Thanks! You know, our drummer quit...
M: Scott (Sundquist) quit? What a shame... he was good.
C: Yeah, but see, we need a drummer now.
M: What does this have to do with me?
C: With you? Well... you're a drummer, and I thought---
M: Wait, wait, wait, you want ME to drum? For Soundgarden? Oh, no, nonononono! I can't! I'm in a band!
C: But you said earlier you weren't having much fun anymore! That's what Soundgarden's all about! FUN!!
M: Yeah, you're right.... but, I'm good buds with Jack (Endino, Skin Yard guitarist)! I can't just quit on him!
C: I'll tell you what: you think about it a while, and give us a call. Here's our number: 555-GODS. Give us a ring if you change your mind! Bye!!
M: OK, I will. Bye!!

So Matt thinks awhile, and thinks and thinks and thinks... (he's a very smart man... he covers all his bases!), and after a while he actually quits Skin Yard for a personal reason. He sat in his house for a few months, working at Kinko's probably writing songs, when he decided to give Soundgarden a try. He would be able to get into contact with Chris at the party Hiro was having ,only close friends invited. Chris would be there, and he was friends with Chris, so he should be ok. He ran inside, grabbed his wallet, glanced in the mirror, and combed his golden hair to perfection, flopping all over, getting that just washed shine to it, you know, when the sun glints off it at just the right angle and--- never mind.. sorry... back to the story. Anyhoo, Matt gets to the party, complete with a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates. He ran inside, nodded back at a greeting, and flew over to Chris, who was sitting with his girlfriend Susan.

"Hey Chris, hey Susan!" he panted.
Susan smiled at him. "Hey Matt," she said. Chris was glowing. "Hi, Matt!! Whatcha doing here? I thought you had a gig tonight."
Matt grinned. "Well... I quit. I lost your number, so here," he handed over the flowers and candy, "and, I'll join."

At this moment in time, fireworks should have been going off, a holiday declared, official merchandise marketed. With Matt, Soundgarden became a complete and stable unit. With Matt, Soundgarden became the best band in the world.
Matt was accepted into Soundgarden not only because he was one of the best drummers they had ever seen, but he's a multipurpose piece of work: He can sing, play guitar, play bass, and write lyrics and music. He was "God's drummer", according to SG guitarist Kim Thayil. Jack Endino later defended Matt, saying, "Everyone as saying Matt left Skin Yard to join Soundgarden, which just isn't true. Matt had quit Skin Yard in May of 84, and he joined Soundgarden in September of 84. He left Skin Yard just because he and the members couldn't get along." Matt quickly became integrated into the band's unique style, and soon after, the band released their debut album on the Seattle based Sub Pop label, Screaming Life. Matt was finally on his way to complete stardom.

Through the years, Matt went through some pretty damn rad, and unrad, experiences. In 1990, during the band's Louder than Love European tour, Matt came down with appendicitis, but didn't know it for a while. When he started feeling immensely sick, the band canceled a show in Naples, which threw the Italians into a riot. The next show, he called in to say he couldn't do it. The tour managers told Chris they simply couldn't handle another Italian temper tantrum and was there any way they could squeeze the show in with out Matt . Chris decided he may as well try to go back to his roots of drumming and singing at the same time, but it just didn't work out. Kim called Matt, and, after hearing about the situation, Matt agreed to come and play. He did alright, and that night announced he'd be fine for the rest of the tour.

Three days later, Matt had wound up in the hospital, because his appendix had ruptured. As this is a deadly thing, the band was scared shitless and canceled the rest of the tour, regardless of what the fans did. Matt lived through THIS experience, and we hope that it taught him to take care of himself. (Huh, Matt!) The first time he went to Japan, he came back full of stories. He's been in numerous bands during Soundgarden, including a side project with current SG bassist Ben Shepherd, called Hater, and a side project jazz band with Amy Denio, named the Tone Dogs. He also helped form two bands with Chris, Temple of the Dog (Cameron, Cornell, and Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament from Pearl Jam), a tribute band to Andy Wood, a close friend who died of a heroin overdose in 1990, along with M.A.C.C. (McCready, Ament, Cameron, Cornell) a band that recorded a version of "Hey Baby" for the "Stone Free" Hendrix tribute album. When Soundgarden broke up on April 9th, 1997, Matt went all out, recording, performing with Hater, and chatting with his friends. He recently held a chat session in January with the drumming website "Boom Theory", where my friend and I were presented with the honor of saying hello and receiving an answer-"Arden, you're welcome." On the Soundgarden mailing list SOMMS, Matt sent an email to the members, consoling them over the loss of his band and theirs. He requested that his message not be archived, as he wanted only the true fans to share it. He has always been close to the fans, and he still is. Matt has also participated in 3, count 'em 3, Boom Theory chats! The latest one on 3/31/99. If you would like to see the transcripts, you can go to Boom Theory or they will be archived on this site.

Currently, Matt is in the studio working with Pearl Jam and his other band Wellwater Conspiracy who just released their second album Brotherhood Of Electric.