Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Ron Asheton - Sail On You Genius Bastard!

Shit. Ron Asheton died. Dead in his house for days before they found him. Sitting in a chair. No Maltese crosses or guitars in his hands. Sunglasses on? I would hope so. Is there something about getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that causes the geniuses to die off just before playing the damn thing? Joe Strummer, I'm thinking of you. Ron Asheton...

The first time I heard The Stooges, I mean the first time I really heard The Stooges, was at Rocko's House of Mirrors. The first Stooges album was blaring from the speakers. Just incendiary! We were all roaming around on some kind of paper. Cooper holding court like a turd holding vinyl. I just sat in front of the speaker and had my mind literally blown. Shot. Exploded into a new way of thinking about the music I loved and a better way to consider the music I would hear in the future. Iggy howling, mad. Scott Asheton, pounding and hurling. The late Dave Alexander rolling a steady bass line. Ron Asheton playing guitar like no one before him. Proto-punk. Bolder MC5. Balls to the fucking walls. Sold!

But enough of this palaver, watch an old Stooges video and remember Asheton.



ap - 2009

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I was in that room... I will never forget the winged snakes that circled the ceiling fan or the gargoyles that pulled at the rubber speakers while "we will fall" played on the record player...

Good times, Ron Asheton, and we thank you!

Unknown said...

oh and I am not "Allison", I guess I am logged in as her... My name is "Gordon" and I am a Stoogeaholic.