Scott Asheton, the only man to record drums for punk godfathers The Stooges, has died at the age of 64. The percussionist passed away on Saturday of an unspecified illness.
Asheton and his brother Ron founded the Stooges in their hometown of Ann Arbor, MI during the late '60s. The band began to pick up acclaim after the addition of vocalist Iggy Pop and the group would largely provide the base for American punk music (along with fellow Michigan residents the MC5).
Pop has always gotten the lion's share of the attention from fans for his bizarre stage behavior, and Ron frequently receives kudos for his impact on punk guitar playing. But younger brother Scott had a similar approach to his instrument as Ron did to his, and his playing had a similar relevance to the band's sound. Both he and his brother had little in the way of formal music training, relying more on hellbent emotion to drive their music. It was a formula that drove the eccentric Pop to do his thing as well.
"Scott was a great artist," Pop said in a statement following the news. "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."
Scott had previously suffered a stroke following a 2011 concert, an incident that ended his touring career. Although he still recorded for the Stooges 2013 album Ready to Die, he was replaced by a touring drummer for tours. Ron passed away during 2009, from a heart attack. There's no word on whether Scott's earlier stroke had any effect on his current health issues.
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