Ron Asheton, a founding member and guitarist for The Stooges, has been found dead at his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was 60.
Police were called to the home but have ruled that there are no suspicious circumstances and that Asheton appears to have died of natural causes.In a statement at The Stooges website, the band say, “We are shocked and shaken by the news of Ron’s death. He was a great friend, brother, musician, trooper. Irreplaceable. He will be missed.
For all that knew him behind the façade of Mr Cool & Quirky, he was a kind-hearted, genuine, warm person who always believed that people meant well even if they did not.
As a musician Ron was The Guitar God, idol to follow and inspire others. That is how he will be remembered by people who had a great pleasure to work with him, learn from him and share good and bad times with him”.
Iggy Pop added, “I am in shock. He was my best friend.”
Ron Asheton formed The Stooges with his brother Scott in 1967. The brothers recruited James Osterberg as their lead singer and renamed him Pop. From then on and to this day, he is known as Iggy Pop.
The band played their first gig in a house in State Street, Ann Arbour on Halloween in 1967.
In 1968, they signed to Elektra Records and released the now classic self-titled debut in 1969. In 1970, the second album ‘Fun House’ came along. Neither album was successful in its day but went on to become punk classics before the term punk was even used.
Elektra dropped the band after the second album because of excessive heroin use by the members.
In 2003, The Stooges got back together and recorded some songs for Iggy’s ‘Skull Ring’ album.
A 2003 show made it to DVD and in 1996, Iggy & The Stooges released their third album ‘The Weirdness’.
For the next five years, The Stooges were an active band. They toured the world and played on festivals such as Australia’s Big Day Out in 2006.
The last ever Stooges show was on September 24, 2008 at the B1 club in Moscow.
Ron Asheton is reported to have died of a heart attack.
