The first full week of 2009 started off most miserably, when news of the death of pioneering punk guitarist Ron Asheton was announced. The man whose distinctive sledgehammer riffs provided the perfect foil for Iggy Pop's sneering vocals on the Stooges' landmark recordings was found dead of an apparent heart attack in his Ann Arbor home Tuesday morning; he was only 60 years old and had recently enjoyed newfound success with the reunited Stooges, who'd been touring off and on since 2003 and had released their comeback album The Weirdness in 2007.
A statement issued by Iggy Pop, drummer Scott Asheton (Ron's brother), saxophonist Steve Mackay, bassist Mike Watt, and the band's management read: "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 facade 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 personally, sadly, added: "I am in shock. He was my best friend."
We at That's Really Week echo the statements above; we too shall miss Ron. And we have a feeling in a couple weeks we'll be reporting on the Stooges' long-awaited induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame; the band has been on the nominees' shortlist many times but unjustly passed over for years, but there's nothing like a tragic death to garner a band some much-overdue recognition.
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