Former Pearl Jam drummer Dave Abbruzzese continued to rail against the band and their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame without him, and claimed that Pearl Jam never officially invited him to the ceremony.
When Pearl Jam was selected for induction last October, the Rock Hall listed the group's four core members – Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard – as well as their current drummer, Matt Cameron, and Dave Krusen, who drummed on their debut album, Ten. Abbruzzese – who played on Vs. and Vitalogy – and the group's other two drummers, Matt Chamberlain and Jack Irons, were not included. Abbruzzese lashed out at the snub, and eventually Pearl Jam posted a note to Twitter inviting every drummer to the induction ceremony. Ultimately, only Cameron, Krusen and Irons attended, with Krusen notably joining the band for a performance of "Alive."
On Facebook, however, Abbruzzese said Pearl Jam's statement did not qualify as an official invitation. "The band tweeted that they welcomed the idea of the event granting the possibility of all the drummers to be in the same room. That isn't an invite."
Abbruzzese then aired his grievances with Pearl Jam again and pleaded his case as to why he should've been inducted. After writing that he had a "deep respect" for all drummers, especially the five that played in Pearl Jam, he wrote: "For the band to put me in the same light as Matt Chamberlain & Dave K really was a slap in the face. Nothing to do with those guys as people or players. Respect … but as a contributor? A band member? A definitive contributor to the energy and power of where the band went? … the sacrifices, the work, the physical and emotional contributions … not to mention the personal weight of carrying on through and after unceremonious and disrespectful way I was fired. I gave this band all I had to give every single moment I was in it."
Abbruzzese added that if he had been inducted, he would've had his drum tech, Jimmy Shoaf Jr., and his daughter, Francesca, say a few words on his behalf. And, he said, if the band had actually invited him to attend the ceremony, he would not have gone anyway.
"To do that would justify the mistake and disrespect the core fans that took this band to heart back when all we were to become, we had to earn and also, most importantly, we had to prove we deserved every single time we took the stage," Abbruzzese wrote. "And we did that. We, the Pearl Jam band & original crew, deserved to be inducted & respected. I'm proud of my old friends for managing it all so well. I don't know if I heard anyone say it, but you're welcome and thank you, too."
Source: www.bing.com
