Preliminary reports suggest that the 60-year-old died of a heart attack.
Number 29 on Rolling Stone’s ‘100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time’ list, Asheton formed The Stooges in 1967 with his brother Scott and Iggy Pop. The trio split in 1974 following the recording of their Metallic K.O. live album, but reunited in 2003 for what was to be a lengthy lap of honour.
As well as unleashing a new studio album, The Weirdness, Iggy & The Stooges played a series of incendiary live shows including Electric Picnic 2007, and an open-air bash last June in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.
One of the first people to pay tribute to Asheton is Von Bondies leader Jason Stollsteimer.
"To me, he was the epitome of raw punk," he reflects. "He wasn't flashy or over the top. It was raw. The riffs he wrote stood the test of time. Some people are too cool, but he was obviously very happy and proud."
Ron is pictured here tearing it up with The Stooges at Stradbally Hall.