Ron Asheton RIP

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2009/01/stooges_guitarist_ron_asheton.html

Glad I had the chance to see the reformed Stooges.

Oh man, tell me this isn't true...

aw man I LIKED that last Stooges album...

Oh shit no!

damn!

:(

I'm fast running out of heroes. Hang on in there, Van Vliet!

Rock Action Ends.

RIN!!!

RIP and wow :-(

Ouch, RIP

state of shock. so sad that this happened during his second wind w/reformed stooges. RIP.

No no no!

RIP.

no no no damn...
RIP

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Aww this is too bad about "Ron Asheton"

rabies otm

I was playing the riff to Fun House just five minutes ago!

Famed rock-and-roll guitarist and longtime Ann Arbor resident Ronald "Ron" Asheton was found dead in his home on the city's west side this morning, police said.

Asheton, 60, was an original member of The Stooges, a garage-rock band headlined by Iggy Pop and formed in Ann Arbor in 1967.

Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton was found dead early today in his Ann Arbor home.His personal assistant contacted police late Monday night after being unable to reach Asheton for days, Detective Bill Stanford said.
Officers went to the home on Highlake Avenue at around midnight and discovered Asheton's body on a living-room couch. He appeared to have been dead for at least several days, Stanford said.

Detective Sgt. Jim Stephenson said the cause of death is undetermined but investigators do not suspect foul play. Autopsy and toxicology results are pending.

Asheton was born in Washington, D.C. His brother, Scott, who lives in Florida, is the band's drummer.

In 2007, The Stooges reunited and released "The Weirdness," their first album in three decades.

Asked how it felt to be back with The Stooges, Asheton told The News in an interview that year that it was "great to be back on the road."

The Stooges were part of a 1960s music scene in Ann Arbor that included such bands as the MC5, Bob Seger, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, and The Rationals.

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2009/01/stooges_guitarist_ron_asheton.html

fuuuuuuuuuck.

just really fucking sad. 60 is no age to die.

what the?? that really sucks

RIP

state of shock. so sad that this happened during his second wind w/reformed stooges. RIP.
Indeed. But at least he lasted longer reunion-wise than Killer Kane. RIP Ron.

And he was the only one in the band who was never a junkie!

Yeah wtf

Maybe this means Iggy will have to drag James Williamson out of retirement.

that can't be good for business

Dude didn't outlast Woolworths!

very sad news.

RIP guitar hero

stir OTM

RIP

Terrible news. He was carrying serious poundage though.

Oh nooooooooooo. Lovely man.

RIP.

It's really disturbing how many rock musicians who make comebacks pass away after a few short years back. Joe Strummer, Grant McLennan and now Ron Asheton. Very sad.

he will never get to hear merriweather post pavilion :(

RIP dude you ruled so much

oh my and a boo-hoo...

RIP & what 69 said

ah man, RIP.

"It's really disturbing how many rock musicians who make comebacks pass away after a few short years back. Joe Strummer, Grant McLennan and now Ron Asheton."

Arthur Kane as well. Really a shame.

The very definition of a guitar hero. RIP.

dude was the actual best. ian, 69, everyone else otm.

wow this sucks

Rock Action Ends.

RIN!!!

― Mark G, Tuesday, January 6, 2009 2:54 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark

Actually, that's his brother, the drummer, who's still alive, but anyway. RIP indeed.

I meant it in general (he lied...)

AW FUCK

RIP Ron.

Bummer! Dude wrote like 4 out of the top 10 best rock n roll riffs of all time.
If you feel like OD-ing on the dude in his prime: http://nevergetoutoftheboat.blogspot.com/2008/12/stooges.html

RIP

Didn't the Stooges literally come back from touring Japan like a week ago?

Stunned. Shocked either way but moreso given the momentum, now grinding to a halt.

:( :( :(

seems extra sad to me that dude was dead for days before anyone found him

I didn't want to hear that :(

Isn't that pretty much what happened with Damon Edge?

But he was weird, Ron was a big cuddly sweetheart

Ron and Ed VonBlue jammin in heaven 2nite

My dad saw them on Halloween in '69.

I could have seen them at SXSW a few years ago, but I didn't.

RIP

I saw them at Roseland in 2004 or 2005; some MTV-sponsored benefit or something (for one of those orgs that's more about "raising awareness" than actually, you know, accomplishing something). The other acts on the bill were "acoustic Godsmack" and some terrible acronym-named band I can't even remember now. But the Stooges were pretty great. At that point nobody knew they were gonna record The Weirdness, though they did play at least one (and maybe two) of the Stooges songs from Skull Ring.

Never saw 'em. I wish I could post a link for a European documentary (possibly French?) that I saw on bootleg, where Ron was showing the film crew The Funhouse. I'd imagined this to be some ominous brownstone tenement, but it's a sitcom-perfect suburban home. Whose inhabitants must have been not a little freaked out to see a group of leather-clad middle-aged dudes peering through their windows. Priceless.

Sad as it is to see him go, at least Ron got to see the critical clock turn round, and play a few years of big, wild shows to committed fans around the world.

Remaining Stooges statement on Asheton:

http://thequietus.com/articles/00950-surviving-stooges-pay-tribute-to-asheton

Sad as it is to see him go, at least Ron got to see the critical clock turn round, and play a few years of big, wild shows to committed fans around the world.

word. it's like the arthur lee thing (though maybe not to the same degree). he seemed to be having fun playing with dinosaur and stuff five years ago, but the stooges live, funhouse gigs and everything, it's a pretty neat way to end things. so glad i got to see them. hearing ron play sprawling blues guitar on all'a those tatty bootleg studio releases is testament to how great he was.

Soukesian OTM

So that troll most likely was PEW. He's signed his inflammatory shit with the same "Seacrest out..." bullshit in the past.

I have no respect for anyone who STILL believes in internet trolls...I mean come on people. This is 2009 not 1999!!!

By the way, I do thinkg Asheton was the best punk rock guitar player of all time. Johnny Ramone was second.

I saw the Stooges close out Bumbershoot 2005 (in Seattle). Everyone was integral to making that a fun show. Ron was the guy who stood there and made it seem so easy.

And a very sweet, open and generous guy. This is so sad.

fwiw, we've re-posted an interview with Ron that I did that we ran in Arthur No. 6 in 2003. There's some good stuff in it, and a great last line.

This somehow makes the theft of all their gear last year seem even more shittier.

oh no RIP

Damn, this is bumming me out. Wasn't gonna post, 'cuz what do I have to say? But godspeed and ever after, Ron.

saw the stooges @ coachella in 2003, asheton still had it. RIP

Man, what a fucking bummer to read about this.

In a 2003 interview with the Free Press, Asheton said he got great satisfaction from the recognition the Stooges had begun to receive — even if it was a long time coming.

“When I was a young guy coming up, going to the Grande Ballroom every weekend, I got to see my heroes play. Jeff Beck, the Who, everyone. I didn’t want to be a fanboy, but I’d stand there and wait — ‘I just want to say hi, this was great.’ I saw them walk by me with blank stares like they were zombies. I said to myself, you know, if I ever make it, I’ve got at least one minute for everybody who wants to say something. So I talk to people, and that’s what’s exciting now.”

FUCK

I saw the Bumbershoot show, and then the Weirdness tour. Rest in peace.

What everyone else said. I'm still mulling over how best to talk about this.

saw the stooges do the whole of funhouse etc at the hammersmith apollo one very hot evening a few years back - the only gig i've ever been to where the sweat really was dripping off the walls. now, that complete funhouse sessions box seems less like an indulgent folly and more like a great resource for listening and learning, always. RIP.

By the way, I do thinkg Asheton was the best punk rock guitar player of all time. Johnny Ramone was second.

― EdVonBlue, Tuesday, January 6, 2009 9:44 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

This.

Certainly, one started a style much imitated, and the other started one nobody could touch.

He certainly didn't let on just how great of a guitarist he was. There's some great bits from Glastonbury 2007 when Iggy invites the entire audience up on stage and Ron just rages through "No Fun" surrounded by pandemonium. No one dares messing with him either.

Saw The Stooges at the Matt Groening-curated ATP Long Beach in 2003 when the reunion was still in its infancy and the audience didn't really know what was going to happen. An 70min-long jaw-dropping "hooollleeeeyyyyysssshhhhhiiiitttt!" that still imprinted in my memory as fresh as it was walking over the bridge back to my car afterward. I can't think of many guitarists that in their 50s still pile a mound of Marshall stacks on stage and go like that.

Last year I got to chat to Groening briefly following the premiere of the first Futurama movie and I asked him if he would ever consider curating another one. This quickly dissolved into a utter fan boy raving about how fucking great the Stooges were.

Shit. RIP.

What everyone else said. I'm still mulling over how best to talk about this.

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, January 7, 2009 2:28 AM (10 hours ago) Bookmark

besides saying FUCK whenever I think of it, I find rock action speaks louder than words. last night I put on the first album and the kids and I just danced like maniacs. it was pure joy, I suggest everybody blast the stooges album of their choice and find somebody they love to jump around with. must be the irish in me.

glad i saw them at RFH when they did meltdown.

wish there was some footage of the stooges from the 70s on dvd though.

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2009/01/ron_ashetons_family_hire_priv.html

Goddamnit. Fucking assholes.

Edward III, we played Declaration of War loud while doing the dishes last night. A dance of sorts.

RIP

saw them at ATP 2006, that night was a riot. LOVE

Ron Ashton played a hard and mean guitar. The show I saw them play a couple of years ago was thrilling. I couldn't believe that it didn't sound like a reunion- more like a fully-charged wild Stooges in thier prime.I felt like crying they were so good. Has anyone here seen them in the 70's, then on reunion? Guess you would have to be rather old.

I don't know if I found the words, but I found some words.

this cool dude george who lives on the island here got to play with ron when he was drumming with j and watt and i just love this picture that he posted on his facebook. hope it shows up. (he also has video of them jamming live)

http://photos-h.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-snc1/v1979/171/122/1589287588/n1589287588_30104615_336.jpg

hahaha, the very epitome of rock god!

what a guy... i dunno, i got nothing cool to say. what a sound. glad there is so much of it on tape.

j really loves velour tracksuit tops, glad that awesome photo reflected this.

Christ, not until seeing Mike Watt's name mentioned just now did it occur to me: That's the SECOND time he's had his guitarist-bandmate die on him. :(

Edward, one of these kids would be the Dusty-Dusty fan? Or has she moved beyond Russian literature?

Not to say that I have.

Christ, not until seeing Mike Watt's name mentioned just now did it occur to me: That's the SECOND time he's had his guitarist-bandmate die on him. :(

Yeah, I was thinking on that the other day.

Watt on playing with the Stooges.

Iggy saying that Ron was his best friend is pretty touching -- and it rings true, too, even if they weren't in touch for a long time before this reunion. Listening to the beginning of "TV Eye" this week, it started to sound like the ultimate musical friendship -- like someone asking "If your best friend jumped off a bridge, would you?" And Ron answering: "Fuck yes, I would."

Where/when did Iggy say that? Link?

http://thequietus.com/articles/00950-surviving-stooges-pay-tribute-to-asheton
Bottom of the page ...

a good obit.

http://black2com.blogspot.com/2009/01/ron-asheton-1948-2009-hokay-you.html#links

jeezus, what a loss....there'll not be another like Ron for some time....

Edward, one of these kids would be the Dusty-Dusty fan? Or has she moved beyond Russian literature?

― If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, January 9, 2009 6:14 AM (15 hours ago) Bookmark

yeah, that's her, youngest person to coin an ilx meme... she's gone primitive and moved on to the stooges and ac/dc

Where/when did Iggy say that? Link?

― big papa cigarettes (╓abies), Friday, January 9, 2009 10:50 AM (10 hours ago) Bookmark

http://www.iggypop.com/

youngest person to coin an ilx meme

uh.jpg

here's a taste of what ron was doing in between stooges. ron & niagara of destroy all monsters jamming w/sonic's rendezvous minus sonic. not sure of the date - looks early 80s. hot stuff

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Race

and especially http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_and_Last

RIP Scott

dammit dammit dammit