This is just horrifically bad news. 
Ronald Frank Asheton
July 17, 1948 – January 1, 2009
Via Spinner:
Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton was found dead at his Ann Arbor, Mich. home Tuesday morning. The official cause of death is not yet known, but it is believed the Asheton suffered a heart attack. Police discovered Asheton’s body on a couch after his personal assistant had been unable to reach him for several days. He was 60.
"I am in shock," Stooges frontman Iggy Pop said in a statement. "He was my best friend."
Asheton, along with his brother Scott on drums, Pop and original bassist Dave Alexander, formed the Stooges in Detroit in 1967. They released two albums, ‘The Stooges’ and ‘Fun House,’ before Ron Asheton took over bass duties. As a guitarist, he created a bevy of iconic riffs, including those for ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ and ‘TV Eye.’
After the Stooges’ initial split, Asheton played in several other bands, including the Wylde Ratttz, featuring Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, Mudhoney’s Mark Arm, Dinosaur Jr.’s J. Mascis and Mike Watt. Watt joined Asheton once more when the Stooges reunited in 2003, and Asheton returned to his original place as Stooges guitarist on 2007’s ‘The Weirdness.’
"We are shocked and shaken by the news of Ron’s death," a combined statement released by Pop, Asheton’s brother Scott, saxophonist Steve Mackay, Watt and the Stooges’ management read. 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."
It’s times like these when you really realize just how long ago the damn 1960’s were. All the great one’s, musically speaking, are simply dying on us. Such a tragic ending to a life with such talent. May he rest in peace. I don’t think that it would be out of place to say a little prayer for the family of this man tonight. 
…and for what it’s worth, I don’t know the politics of Iggy Pop or the rest of the guys, nor do I give two shits. This is not about that man. This is about the passing of a local Detroit area icon.
Some Videos in the Memory of Ron and the rest of those rowdy bastards.
I believe this video is from the Goose Lake Pop Festival of 1970.
And lastly, one of my favorite songs, “No Fun”. (Content Warning)
That’s what those guys were about, just having fun. It’s a sad loss for the Detroit Rock Music scene of the 1960’s and early 1970’s.