Matt Chamberlain

Matt Chamberlain

Matthew Chamberlain (born April 17, 1967) is an American drummer, record producer, and songwriter. He came to prominence with Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, and has worked as a session musician for a wide range of artists including Pearl Jam, David Bowie, Tori Amos, The Wallflowers, Elton John, Fiona Apple, Bob Dylan, Brandi Carlile, John Fogerty, Sarah McLachlan, and Soundgarden.

Biography

Matt Chamberlain

Chamberlain was born in San Pedro, California on April 17, 1967. He began learning how to play the drums at age 15, taking lessons with Tower of Power drummer David Garibaldi. He enrolled at North Texas State University (now known as University of North Texas) to study music but left after less than a year. After leaving college, he moved to Dallas, Texas and played with numerous bands in the Deep Ellum music scene.

While in Texas, Chamberlain joined Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, and was the drummer on their 1990 album Ghost of a Dog. He was then recruited by Pearl Jam to assist with live performances after the departure of original drummer Dave Krusen. Chamberlain played with Pearl Jam for three weeks in mid-1991; he did not appear on any recordings but is pictured in the video for the song "Alive". He then left Pearl Jam but recommended his own replacement Dave Abbruzzese. Chamberlain next served as the drummer for the Saturday Night Live house band during the 1991 and 1992 seasons.

Since leaving Saturday Night Live, Chamberlain has maintained a prolific career as an in-demand session drummer and has appeared on more than 200 albums. From the late 1990s to early 2020s he played on most studio albums and their associated tours with Tori Amos. In 2014 he joined Soundgarden as touring drummer in support of their reunion album King Animal, playing during several legs of an international tour in relief of drummer Matt Cameron who was busy touring with his other fulltime band Pearl Jam.

In addition to his fequent session work, in 1993 Chamberlain formed the jazz-fusion band Critters Buggin, with which he continues to record and perform periodically. In 2005 he was recruited by Bill Rieflin for the experimental Slow Music Project. Since 2007 Chamberlain has participated in the Floratone jazz collective led by Bill Frissell, and in 2020 he formed the grunge supergroup Painted Shield.

In 2019 Chamberlain toured extensively with Bob Dylan. During that period he served as musical director for More Music at The Moore Theatre in Seattle, Washington. In 2025 he toured extensively with Paul Simon. Between 2016 and 2024, Chamberlain won the Modern Drummer readers' poll in the Studio Musician category four times.

Selected discography

As group member

• Matt Chamberlain (2005) • Company 23 (2012) • Comet B (2016) • Foundry (2021)

• Guest (1994) • Host (1997) • Monkeypot Merganzer (1997) • Bumpa (1998) • Amoeba (1998) • Stampede (2004) • Live in 95 at the OK Hotel - Seattle 1995 (2009) • Muti (2014)

• Floratone (2007) • Floratone II (2012)

• Live El Rey Theater, May 13 2006 • Live The Coach House, May 12 2006 • Live Largo, May 11 2006 • Live Great American Music Hall, May 9 2006 • Live Showbox, May 6 2006 • Live Aladdin Theater May 5 2006

As studio musician

• Eat the Elephant (2018)

• Rough and Rowdy Ways (2020)

• Largo (2002) • Highway Rider (2010) • Ride into the Sun (2025)

• The Story (2007) • Bear Creek (2012) • Returning to Myself (2025)

• Wrecking Ball (2012) • Western Stars (2019)

• Colour Moving and Still (1999)

• Speak of the Devil (1998)

• Trust No One (2001)

• Heathen (2002) • Reality (2003)

• Songs from the West Coast (2001)

• Tidal (1996) • When the Pawn... (1999)

• Phantomime (2023)

• For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) (2025)

• Inland (2013)

• Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years (2025)

• Late Registration (uncredited, 2005)

• Thanks for the Dance (2019)

• Circles (2020)

• False Priest (2010) • The Controllersphere ( 2011)

• Voices (2014) • Three (2016)

• Set My Heart on Fire Immediately (2020)

• Flotsam and Jetsam (2019)

• Dark Matter (2017)

• Intensive Care (2005)

• Unfollow the Rules (2020)

• Little Voice (2007) • Kaleidoscope Heart (2010)

• Omnipop (It's Only a Flesh Wound Lambchop) (1996)

• Friendly Fire (2006)

• Trouble in Shangri-La (2001)

• Bringing Down the Horse (1996) • Breach (2000)

• From The Choirgirl Hotel (1998) • To Venus And Back (1999) • Strange Little Girls(2001) • Scarlet's Walk(2002) • Tales Of A Librarian(2003) • The Beekeeper(2005) • A Piano: The Collection(2006) • American Doll Posse(2007) • Abnormally Attracted To Sin(2009) • Midwinter Graces(2009) • Christmastide(2020) • Ocean To Ocean(2021) • The Music Of Tori And The Muses(2025)

• Restoration: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin (2018)

Movie soundtracks

• Trainwreck • Man of Steel • Frozen