The Stooges pay tribute to Asheton

IGGY POP and his band The Stooges have paid tribute to guitarist, Ron Asheton, who died suddenly at the age of 60.

In a joint statement, the frontman, drummer and Asheton's brother, Scott, and bassist Mike Watt said Asheton was "irreplaceable".

It said: "We are shocked and shaken by the news of Ron's death. 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."

In a separate statement, Pop described Asheton as his "best friend".

Asheton's body was found by police at his home in Michigan yesterday morning.

Although it is believed that he suffered a heart attack, the official cause of death has yet to been confirmed.

The guitarist was one of the group's founding members and was responsible for some of The Stooges' most infamous guitarist riffs.

The Stooges toured extensively throughout 2007 and 2008 and played a number of high profile international festivals.