If you look at the cover of Ten, you see the guys with their arms raised in a huddle. It’s the ultimate image of a band about to take over the world. But there’s a ghost in that huddle. Most people listen to "Alive" or "Black" and picture the Pearl Jam they see in the videos—usually Dave Abbruzzese’s wild hair or Matt Cameron’s precise power.
But it wasn't them. Not on the record that changed everything.
Dave Krusen was the one behind the kit for those legendary sessions at London Bridge Studios in 1991. He provided the backbone for the biggest debut in grunge history, and then, before the first tour even really kicked off, he was gone. He didn’t get the MTV Unplugged fame. He didn't get the stadium tours of the mid-90s.
Honestly, the story of Pearl Jam and Dave Krusen is one of the most bittersweet "what ifs" in rock. It’s a tale of incredible talent meeting a personal breaking point just as the finish line came into view.
The Sound of Ten: Why Krusen Mattered
There is a specific "vibe" to Ten that Pearl Jam never quite recaptured. It’s more "rock" and less "punk" than their later stuff. A lot of that comes down to Krusen’s style. He wasn’t a flashy, syncopated drummer like Abbruzzese, nor was he a mathematical powerhouse like Matt Cameron.
Krusen played with a lot of "air."
He had this loose, almost soulful swing that grounded Stone Gossard’s riffs and Jeff Ament’s fretless bass lines. Think about the opening of "Even Flow." That groove is greasy. It’s got a pocket that feels human and slightly behind the beat. If you put a modern metal drummer on that track, it would sound sterile. Krusen made it feel like a basement jam that happened to be recorded by professionals.
He used a borrowed Ludwig kit for those sessions because his own gear wasn't up to par. It’s kind of wild to think that one of the best-selling albums of all time was tracked on a "loaner" set of drums. But that’s the reality of a band that, at the time, was still just trying to find their footing after the tragic end of Mother Love Bone.
💡 You might also like: Songs by Tyler Childers: What Most People Get Wrong
Why He Left (And Why They Had to Let Him Go)
The timeline is tight. They finished recording Ten in May 1991. By the time the album actually hit shelves in August, Krusen was already out.
It wasn't "creative differences." It wasn't a fight over money. It was alcohol.
Krusen has been incredibly open about this in later years. He was struggling with severe alcoholism during the recording sessions. In interviews with Modern Drummer and various retrospectives, he admitted he "couldn't stop drinking" and that it was causing friction within the band.
"They gave me many chances, but I couldn't get it together," Krusen later remarked.
Eddie Vedder once called him a "real hero" who was going through a lot of personal turmoil while still delivering those performances. But a band on the verge of a massive world tour can't have a drummer who might not make it to the stage. It’s a harsh reality of the business. They let him go right after the sessions wrapped, and he checked himself into rehab.
While the band was filming the "Alive" video and flying to Europe, Krusen was trying to save his own life.
The Hall of Fame Redemption
For decades, Krusen was the "forgotten" member to the casual fan. But the band never forgot.
📖 Related: Questions From Black Card Revoked: The Culture Test That Might Just Get You Roasted
In 2017, when Pearl Jam was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a big debate broke out. Who gets in? The Hall is notoriously picky. They usually only induct "defining" members. This caused a huge stir with Dave Abbruzzese, who played on Vs. and Vitalogy but was left off the list.
However, Dave Krusen was included.
Why? Because you can’t tell the story of Pearl Jam without Ten.
The coolest moment of that ceremony wasn't the speeches. It was the performance. Krusen stepped behind the kit for "Alive," playing with the band for the first time in 25 years. Watching him nail those fills—the ones he invented—was a massive full-circle moment. It proved that despite the short tenure, he was a foundational architect of their sound.
Life After Pearl Jam: Candlebox and Beyond
If you think Krusen just disappeared into the woods, you haven't been paying attention to Seattle music. He’s had a massive career.
- Candlebox: He joined them in the late 90s, playing on the Happy Pills album. He actually brought a similar "big rock" feel to their sound that worked perfectly.
- Unified Theory: This was a bit of a "supergroup" with members of Blind Melon. They put out one self-titled album in 2000 that is highly underrated.
- Solo Work: He’s been involved in dozens of projects, from Diamond Star Halo to playing with Pete RG.
He also eventually reunited with Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard for various side projects over the years. There’s no bad blood anymore. Just a lot of mutual respect between guys who survived the Seattle pressure cooker.
Comparing the Drummers: A Fan's Perspective
Everyone has "their" Pearl Jam drummer. It’s like picking a favorite James Bond.
👉 See also: The Reality of Sex Movies From Africa: Censorship, Nollywood, and the Digital Underground
- Dave Krusen: The Architect. He’s the soul of the early years. If you love the "classic rock" feel of the 70s mixed with 90s angst, he’s your guy.
- Dave Abbruzzese: The Energy. He turned the band into a stadium-shaking machine. High tension, lots of cymbals, very aggressive.
- Jack Irons: The Artist. He brought a tribal, experimental feel to No Code and Yield. He made them more interesting and less predictable.
- Matt Cameron: The Professional. He’s the longest-serving member. He’s the glue. He can play anything, anytime, perfectly.
Krusen sits in a special spot because he represents the "innocence" of the band. Before the Ticketmaster lawsuits, before the fame got too heavy, there was just a room in Seattle and Dave Krusen hitting the drums.
What You Should Do Next
If you want to really appreciate what Krusen did, you need to go back to the source. Don’t just stream the hits.
Listen to the "Ten" Redux (Brendan O'Brien Mix): In 2009, the band re-released the album with a much "drier" mix. This version strips away some of the 90s reverb and lets you hear Krusen’s drum tones much more clearly. It sounds like he’s sitting right in front of you.
Watch the 2017 Rock Hall Performance: Go to YouTube and find the video of "Alive" from that night. Look at the smiles on Stone and Mike’s faces when Krusen starts that opening fill. It’s pure joy.
Check out Candlebox’s "Happy Pills": If you want to hear how Krusen’s playing evolved as he got sober and matured, this is the record. It’s got some of his most solid, professional work.
Dave Krusen might have missed the "Pearl Jam Mania" of 1992, but he left a mark that 13 million album sales haven't been able to erase. He was the right drummer at the exact right moment.