Stooges guitarist and founding member, Ron Asheton, died on January 6 from an apparent heart attack.
Police found Asheton dead on a living-room sofa in his Ann Arbor, Michigan home, where officials said his decomposing body remained unnoticed for several days.
An official cause of death has not been released, but initial reports indicate a coronary failure of some kind took place.
Asheton’s use of overdrive (distortion) is considered by many to be a seminal moment in the burgeoning punk movement
“He developed such a unique sound and approach to his instrument and writing that I don’t think that everybody got it at first, but over the years other generations caught on,” Iggy Pop said of his friend in a recent radio interview. “I think a lot of good musicians were influenced by what Ron pioneered.”
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones.
Now please enjoy the menacing industrial crunch of “I Wanna Be Your Dog”, Asheton’s most enduring legacy.
Tags: Iggy Pop, Punk, The Stooges