Ronald Frank Asheton was an American guitarist and co-songwriter with
Iggy PopIggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
for the
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
bandA musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
The StoogesThe Stooges are an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003...
.
Asheton is ranked as number 29 on
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
s list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
The Stooges
Asheton was born in Washington D.C. He already had five years of practice on the accordion behind him when he began playing bass guitar at age 10. Asheton was lead guitarist on the Stooges' first two albums, and later appeared as bassist for their third, Raw PowerRaw Power is the third studio album by American rock band The Stooges. Though not initially commercially successful, Raw Power gained a cult fanbase in the years following its release and, like its predecessor , is generally considered an influential forerunner of punk rock.-Recording history:After...
, when he was replaced in both instrument and songwriting prominence by The Stooges' new guitar player, James Williamson. When the Stooges reformed, however, he once again appeared as the band's guitarist.
Other work
Apart from The Stooges, Asheton also played in the bands
The New OrderThe New Order was an American hard rock and proto-punk band. The band was based in Los Angeles and existed from early 1975 to October 1976.-History:...
(not the UK band
New OrderNew Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
),
Destroy All MonstersDestroy All Monsters were an influential Detroit band existing from 1973 to 1985, with sporadic performances since. Their music touched on elements of punk rock, psychedelic, heavy metal music and noise rock with a heavy dose of performance art. Their name likely came from the Godzilla film Destroy...
, Dark Carnival,
New RaceNew Race was a punk/proto-punk super-group based in Sydney, Australia formed in April 1981. New Race was a concept band featuring three members of Radio Birdman: Deniz Tek, Rob Younger, and Warwick Gilbert, along with their inspirational mentors: Ron Asheton of The Stooges, and Dennis "Machine Gun"...
and The Empty Set.
More recently he played with The Wylde Ratttz, a band composed of some of punk and alt-rock's most renowned and respected musicians. The band included
Mike WattMichael David Watt is an American bassist, singer and songwriter.He is best known for co-founding the rock bands Minutemen, dos, and Firehose; , he is also the bassist for the reunited Stooges and a member of the art rock/jazz/punk/improv group Banyan as well as many other post-Minutemen...
of the Minutemen, J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr.,
Thurston MooreThurston Joseph Moore is an American musician best known as a singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside of Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label...
of
Sonic YouthSonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
, and
Mark ArmMark Arm is the vocalist for the grunge band Mudhoney. He is also credited with coining the term "grunge" to describe his style of rock music...
of Mudhoney. It contributed a cover version of the Stooges song "T.V. Eye" to the soundtrack for the
Todd HaynesTodd Haynes is an American independent film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his feature films Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, Poison, Velvet Goldmine, Safe, and the Academy Award-nominated Far from Heaven and I'm Not There.- Style and themes :The writes that "Haynes is...
film
Velvet GoldmineVelvet Goldmine is a 1998 British/American drama film directed and co-written by Todd Haynes. The film tells the story of a pop star based mainly on David Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust' character and is set in Britain during the days of glam rock in the early 1970s.Sandy Powell received another Academy...
, which starred Ewan McGregorEwan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
Asheton also acted, appearing with The Texas Chain Saw MassacreThe Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen, who respectively portray Sally Hardesty, Franklin Hardesty, the...
star Gunnar HansenGunnar Milton Hansen is an Icelandic-born actor and author best known for playing Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre .- Early life:Hansen was born in Reykjavík, Iceland, and moved to the United States when he was five...
in MosquitoMosquito is a 1995 science fiction film directed by Gary Jones. The film's plot pays homage to the classic 50's horror genre. Mosquito is about mosquitoes that become mutated when a spaceship crash lands in a swamp. The mosquitoes grow to enormous size and attack campers in a remote northern...
, which was released 1995. He also appeared in two other films: Frostbiter: Wrath of the WendigoFrostbiter: Wrath of the Wendigo, is an independent horror-comedy movie, filmed sometime in 1988 but released in 1996 by Troma Entertainment. One of the stars, Ron Asheton, is the former guitarist for The Stooges.-Synopsis:...
and Legion of the NightLegion of the Night is a 1995 horror film directed by Matt Jaissle and stars Tim Lovelace, Jeff Rector, Ron Asheton, Heather Fine, and S. William Hinzman. The film revolves around a scientist who experiments with reanimation of corpses, accidentally creating zombies...
.
Death
Asheton was found dead in his bed by police at his home in Ann Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
in the early hours of January 6, 2009, apparently having died of a heart attack a couple of days earlier. Police were summoned to Asheton's house by his personal assistant, who had been unable to reach him for several days. Sonic YouthSonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
's album The EternalThe Eternal is the sixteenth studio album by Sonic Youth, released by Matador Records on June 9, 2009, their first on that label. It is their first studio album in three years , making it the band's longest delay between studio albums...
is dedicated to him.
Musical equipment
Asheton mainly relied on simple setups with very few effect pedals.
Guitars
- Reverend Ron Asheton Signature guitar (Custom Volcano 390)
Reverend Musical Instruments, commonly known as Reverend, is an American manufacturer of electric guitars. The company was established in 1996 by noted guitar and amplifier technician Joe Naylor, a graduate of the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery...
- Reverend Jetstream guitar
- Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
- Gibson Flying V
-External links:*, , , , and , from the Gibson website*, a June 2001 article from Guitar Collector magazine*, a tribute site that lists all models and re-issues and most notable players**...
- Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
- Gibson SG Jr.
At the launch of the SG in 1961, Gibson offered four variants of the SG; the SG Junior , the SG Special, the SG Standard, and the top-of-the-line SG Custom. However, Gibson's current core variants as of 2010 are the SG Standard and the SG Special...
Effects
- Vox Wah
A wah-wah pedal is a type of guitar effects pedal that alters the tone of the signal to create a distinctive effect, mimicking the human voice...
- Reverend Drive Train
- Mosrite Fuzzrite
- Ibanez Tube Screamer
The Ibanez Tube Screamer is a guitar overdrive pedal, made by Ibanez. The pedal has a characteristic mid-boosted tone popular with blues players...
- Vox Tone Bender
Tone Bender is the name of several fuzzboxes. Macari's Ltd currently owns the Tone Bender trademark. Korg used to own Tone Bender trademarks in the 1990s.-Sola Sound Tone Bender MKI:...
Amplification
- Vox Super Beatles Amp
Vox is a musical equipment manufacturer which is most famous for making the Vox AC30 guitar amplifier, the Vox Continental electric organ, and a series of innovative but commercially unsuccessful electric guitars and bass guitars...
- Marshall 1959
Marshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
- Marshall JCM 800
Marshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
- Marshall JCM 900
Marshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
- Sunn 2000S
Sunn Amplifiers, are a brand of musical instrument amplifiers.- History :In early 1963, the Kingsmen, a band based in the U.S. state of Oregon, became known for the song "Louie, Louie". After its hit single, the band soon embarked on a fifty-state national tour...
Discography
With the Stooges
- The Stooges
The Stooges is the self-titled debut of the rock band The Stooges. It was released in August 1969 and peaked at number 106 on the Billboard album charts. Two songs, "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and "1969", were released as singles. It is widely considered as one of the best proto punk albums...
(1969)
- Fun House (1970)
- Raw Power
Raw Power is the third studio album by American rock band The Stooges. Though not initially commercially successful, Raw Power gained a cult fanbase in the years following its release and, like its predecessor , is generally considered an influential forerunner of punk rock.-Recording history:After...
(1973)
- The Weirdness
The Weirdness is the fourth studio album by influential American hard rock band The Stooges.The album features founding members Iggy Pop , Ron Asheton , and Scott Asheton along with new band member Mike Watt and returning guest musician Steve Mackay It...
(2007)
With
The New OrderThe New Order was an American hard rock and proto-punk band. The band was based in Los Angeles and existed from early 1975 to October 1976.-History:...
- New Order (1977)
- Victim Of Circumstance (1989)
- Declaration of War (1990)
With
Destroy All MonstersDestroy All Monsters were an influential Detroit band existing from 1973 to 1985, with sporadic performances since. Their music touched on elements of punk rock, psychedelic, heavy metal music and noise rock with a heavy dose of performance art. Their name likely came from the Godzilla film Destroy...
- November 22nd 1963 (1989)
- Bored (1999) - recorded in 1978
With
New RaceNew Race was a punk/proto-punk super-group based in Sydney, Australia formed in April 1981. New Race was a concept band featuring three members of Radio Birdman: Deniz Tek, Rob Younger, and Warwick Gilbert, along with their inspirational mentors: Ron Asheton of The Stooges, and Dennis "Machine Gun"...
- The First and Last
The First and Last is a live album released by the "once-only" supergroup band New Race. The First and Last is a collection of recordings from the various shows the band played along the East Coast of Australia in 1981...
(1982)
- The First To Pay (1989)
- The Second Wave (1990)
With Dark Carnival
- Live - Welcome to Show Business (1990)
- Greatest Show in Detroit (1991)
- Last Great Ride (1996)
- HOTBOX Greatest Hits 6 Disc set (2006)
With The Empty Set
With Powertrane
- Ann Arbor Revival Meeting (2003)
Other contributions
Asheton is credited for helping to write the song "Hit Them Again" on the album
Radios AppearRadios Appear was the first full length studio album by Sydney punk-rock band Radio Birdman. The album was recorded at Birdman's Trafalgar Studios, Sydney during 1976 and 1977. Trafalgar initially distributed the album via mail order and by sales from the backs of friend's and band members' station...
(1977) by
Radio BirdmanRadio Birdman was one of the first punk bands in Australia along with The Saints. Deniz Tek and Rob Younger formed the group in Sydney, Australia in 1974...
, as well as one track that can be heard at the end of the movie
MosquitoMosquito is a 1995 science fiction film directed by Gary Jones. The film's plot pays homage to the classic 50's horror genre. Mosquito is about mosquitoes that become mutated when a spaceship crash lands in a swamp. The mosquitoes grow to enormous size and attack campers in a remote northern...
. Some other tracks Asheton wrote had been recorded by the group "Wylde Rattz", for the original score of the movie
Velvet GoldmineVelvet Goldmine is a 1998 British/American drama film directed and co-written by Todd Haynes. The film tells the story of a pop star based mainly on David Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust' character and is set in Britain during the days of glam rock in the early 1970s.Sandy Powell received another Academy...
, but only one song was featured on the soundtrack (1998), as well as another on
Beyond Cyberpunk a Wayne Kramer (MC5) assembled CD compilation (2001).
External links
- Interview with Ron Asheton in Sept 2007, Radio France International
- Ron Asheton discography at Discogs
Discogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
.
- Ron Asheton- Stooges Interview with Perfect Sound Forever
Perfect Sound Forever is one of the longest-running online-only music magazines . Along with Michael Goldberg's Addicted to Noise Perfect Sound Forever (est. 1995) is one of the longest-running online-only music magazines . Along with Michael Goldberg's Addicted to Noise Perfect Sound Forever...
.
- Ron Asheton: Calling From The Funhouse at the i94Bar.
- Iggy and the Stooges: An Interview With Ron Asheton at SuicideGirls
SuicideGirls is a website that features softcore pornography and text profiles of goth, punk and indie-styled young women who are known as the "Suicide Girls"...
(2007).
- Ron Asheton profile at NNDB
The Notable Names Database , produced by Soylent Communications, the same entity that produces Rotten, Daily Rotten, Dr. Sputnik's Society Pages and Penny Postcards, is an online database of biographical details of over 36,000 people of note...
.
- Obituary in Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
- Tribute and Photos Steve Gerrard Photography
- Ron Asheton Signature Guitar at Reverend Guitars
Reverend Musical Instruments, commonly known as Reverend, is an American manufacturer of electric guitars. The company was established in 1996 by noted guitar and amplifier technician Joe Naylor, a graduate of the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery...
- Ron Asheton on Arborwiki