Died On This Date (January 1*, 2009) Ron Asheton / The Stooges
themusicsover Ron Asheton
July 17, 1948 – January 1 (?), 2009
Ron Asheton was most famously the lead guitarist for Detroit rock band the Stooges, a garage band lead by the wildly charismatic Iggy Pop. With the Stooges, Asheton was considered by many as ground zero for what would become known as punk rock some ten years later. Born in Washington DC, Asheton began playing the guitar at just ten years of age, perhaps tired of the accordion, which he had been playing since he was five. By the time he turned eighteen, he was living in Ann Arbor, Michigan playing alongside his brother Scott, Iggy Pop and David Alexander in the Stooges. The band quickly established themselves as a must-see act in and around the Detroit area for their aggressive playing and Pop’s shocking stage antics. It must be noted that this was still the ‘60s, a time when such blistering noise and in-your-face singing was difficult for many a Woodstock generation to swallow. But they persevered and soon landed on Elektra Records who released their brilliant self-titled debut in 1969. It was Asheton’s fuzzy guitars that helped define a sound that was the blueprint for the likes of the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Ramones and roughly a million more. By the mid ‘70s, the Stooges had disbanded after three brilliant yet commercially dismal albums. Asheton and his brother continued to play, both together and in support of other acts for the next several years. In 2003, Rolling Stone placed Asheton at number 29 in their 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. And to the delight of fans old and new, the Stooges reunited to tour in 2003 and later released The Wierdness, their first album in some 30 years. On January 6, 2008, Asheton’s assistant called the police after not being able to reach him for a few days. According to the Ann Arbor News, officers entered Asheton’s home at around midnight and discovered his body on a living room couch, apparently dead for several days. They did not suspect foul play. Later reports indicate that Asheton died of an apparent heart attack on either December 31 or January 1.
Thanks to Fred Jasper for the help
What You Should Own
Gregory Slay was the drummer for Birmingham, Alabama alternative rock band, Remy Zero. Formed in 1989, the band piqued the interest of music fans and critics alike when, in 1995, Radiohead snapped them up to open for their US tour based solely on the band’s demo tapes. The group soon recorded and released their self-titled debut and were being touted as the “next big thing” while getting airplay on the hippest radio stations, and song placements in numerous television shows and movies. Their “Save Me” was selected to be the theme song for the television series, Smallville. The band broke up in 2003 and Slay went on to make solo recordings under the name, Sleepwell. He also played on the theme song for Nip/Tuck. Gregory Slay was 40 years old when he passed away from complications of cystic fibrosis.
Bryan Harvey was the lead singer and guitarist for ’80s two-man indie rock pioneers, House of Freaks. Johnny Hott played percussion. Playing an energetic and remarkably full sound of folk and blues, House of Freaks were instantly embraced by college music fans around the country. There unique sound was the blue print from which the White Stripes and Black Keys drew heavily from. Besides with House of Freaks, Harvey could be heard as part of Gutterball, an indie supergroup of sorts that also featured Steve Wynn of Dream Syndicate. Although the House of Freaks broke up in 1995, both Harvey and Hott continued to stay active making music ever since. Harvey was also a beloved man throughout his community. On January 1, 2006, Bryan Harvey, his wife and two young daughters were brutally murdered in the basement of their home, victims of an apparent botched robbery. One perpetrator was later convicted to death while the other was sentenced to life in prison.
