Ron Asheton R.I.P. Category: Music
It's a sad day in the world of music. Ron Asheton, legendary and influential guitarist best known for his work with the Stooges was found dead in his Ann Arbor home yesterday on January 6, 2009. He was 60 years old. Though no official cause of death has been stated, police suggest Asheton died of a heart attack and had apparently been dead for days before his body was discovered.
Asheton's guitar style, an aggressive fusion of fuzzed out riffs and jazz-style leads became extremely influencial, especially in punk and alternative rock. His style has been praised and emulated by the likes of Mark Arm (Mudhoney), J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), and Kurt Kobain (Nirvana) to name a few. He was prehaps best known for his work with Iggy Pop & the Stooges, playing guitar on their self-titled 1969 release, and on 1970's 'Funhouse' before switching to bass on 1973's 'Raw Power'. After years of commercial failure, Ron left the Stooges to form the New Order (not to be confused with the UK post-punk group), and Destroy All Monsters. In the subsequent years following the Stooges demise, the group became a cult-favourate and have been credited as the initiators of the punk rock genre with groups like the Clash, Sex Pistols, and Ramones directly claiming influence by the group and Asheton's fierce gutiar style.
Recently, Asheton was ranked by Rolling Stone magazine as the 29th greatest gutiarist of all time. In 2003 he reunited with fellow Stooges Iggy and brother Scott Asheton, along with new-comer and former Minutemen/fIREHOSE member, Mike Watt. From their reformation in 2003 until 2008 the group has toured internationally, have recorded tracks for Iggy Pop's 2003 album 'Skull Ring' and an entire new album's worth of material in 2007, 'The Weirdness' which was produced by the self-professed Stooges fanatic Steve Albini.
In a statement issued by his band mates, Ron was claimed to be 'a great friend, brother, musician, trooper. Irrepalceable. He will be missed.' Iggy Pop added his own personal statement, claiming: 'I am in shock. He was my best friend.'
The January 13th edition of Fear of Music will show-case the best of this legendary and influencial artist, and honour the contributions he has made in the world of music.
It's a sad day in the world of music. Ron Asheton, legendary and influential guitarist best known for his work with the Stooges was found dead in his Ann Arbor home yesterday on January 6, 2009. He was 60 years old. Though no official cause of death has been stated, police suggest Asheton died of a heart attack and had apparently been dead for days before his body was discovered.
Asheton's guitar style, an aggressive fusion of fuzzed out riffs and jazz-style leads became extremely influencial, especially in punk and alternative rock. His style has been praised and emulated by the likes of Mark Arm (Mudhoney), J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), and Kurt Kobain (Nirvana) to name a few. He was prehaps best known for his work with Iggy Pop & the Stooges, playing guitar on their self-titled 1969 release, and on 1970's 'Funhouse' before switching to bass on 1973's 'Raw Power'. After years of commercial failure, Ron left the Stooges to form the New Order (not to be confused with the UK post-punk group), and Destroy All Monsters. In the subsequent years following the Stooges demise, the group became a cult-favourate and have been credited as the initiators of the punk rock genre with groups like the Clash, Sex Pistols, and Ramones directly claiming influence by the group and Asheton's fierce gutiar style.
Recently, Asheton was ranked by Rolling Stone magazine as the 29th greatest gutiarist of all time. In 2003 he reunited with fellow Stooges Iggy and brother Scott Asheton, along with new-comer and former Minutemen/fIREHOSE member, Mike Watt. From their reformation in 2003 until 2008 the group has toured internationally, have recorded tracks for Iggy Pop's 2003 album 'Skull Ring' and an entire new album's worth of material in 2007, 'The Weirdness' which was produced by the self-professed Stooges fanatic Steve Albini.
In a statement issued by his band mates, Ron was claimed to be 'a great friend, brother, musician, trooper. Irrepalceable. He will be missed.' Iggy Pop added his own personal statement, claiming: 'I am in shock. He was my best friend.'
The January 13th edition of Fear of Music will show-case the best of this legendary and influencial artist, and honour the contributions he has made in the world of music.
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