Scott Asheton, drummer of the seminal proto-punk band The Stooges, died from an unspecified illness on Saturday at the age of 64. Born in Washington D.C., Asheton would move with his family to Ann Arbor, Mich., where he would become a founding member of The Stooges in 1967, along with his older brother Ron (who passed away in 2009), Iggy Pop, and Dave Alexander. The Stooges created a trio of classic, highly influential albums-- The Stooges. (1969), Fun House. (1970), and Raw Power. (1973)-- before disbanding. The group reformed in the 2000s and would record two more albums, the most recent of which was 2013's Ready to Die. (Though Scott briefly retired from performing live in 2011 after suffering from a stroke.) In 2010, The Stooges were elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Stooges leader Iggy Pop gave a statement about the loss on his Facebook page:
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 Asheton's 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.