Scott ‘Rock Action’ Asheton, drummer and founding member of The Stooges, has died aged 64. Forming the band alongside James Osterberg, aka Iggy Pop, on vocals, his brother Ron on guitar and Dave Alexander on bass in 1967, they released their self-titled debut two years later. They went on to release two further seminal LPs – Fun House in 1970 and Raw Power in 1973 – before breaking up in 1974. After that, Asheton played in Sonic’s Rendezvous Band with former MC5 man Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith, as well as Destroy All Monsters, Scots Pirates and Sonny Vincent And His Rat Race Choir, before the Stooges reformed in 2003, releasing two new albums, 2007’s The Weirdness and Ready To Die last year. Ron Asheton passed away in 2009, with James Williamson rejoining to play lead guitar.
In a statement, Iggy Pop said: "My dear friend Scott Asheton passed away last night. Scott was a great artist, I have never heard anyone play the drums with more meaning than Scott Asheton. He was like my brother. He and Ron have left a huge legacy to the world. The Ashetons have always been and continue to be a second family to me. My thoughts are with his sister Kathy, his wife Liz and his daughter Leanna, who was the light of his life." Listen to Fun House in full below:
