Guitarist Ron Asheton, 60, who together with Iggy Pop formed the influential proto-punk group Stooges in 1967, was found dead of unknown causes at his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

It seems, after being unable to reach Asheton for a number of days, his personal assistant contacted the police late Monday, who on their arrival at Asheton's home, found his dead body on the living-room couch, Apparently dead for several days, even though the cause of death is undetermined, there is no suspicion of foul play, and autopsy and toxicology results are pending.

The Stooges for which Asheton played the guitar and bass, his brother Scott played drums, with bassist Dave Alexander and frontman Iggy Pop, Asheton's signature riffs can be heard on classic tracks from the group's first two albums like 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' and 'Down the Street'. After Alexander was fired from the group in 1973, Asheton switched to bass for 'Raw Power, the band's third album.

None of the Stooges' three albums did well commercially, however, today they are considered the touchstones of raw rock and have also influenced punk, metal and alternative genres.

Leaving the band after their third album, Asheton played in a series of other bands, including the New Order and Destroy All Monsters, only to reunite with his brother Scott and bassist Mike Watt in 2003, to play on 'Skull Ring', Iggy Pop's solo album. And, it was in 2003 as well that Rolling Stone magazine ranked him No. 29 on their 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list.

The Stooges reunited in 2005, playing at a number of U. K. festival gigs, releasing 'The Weirdness' in 2007, their first album in nearly 35-years and promoted it with a lengthy tour, including stops at the South.

In September this year, the Stooges along with Run-DMC and Metallica, were nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Calling him 'irreplaceable' in their tribute to Asheton, it seems there is a hint in that statement, as to the possible future of the group.