The Stooges promise uplifting tribute

The Stooges promise they will pay an "uplifting" tribute to late guitarist Ron Asheton next week.

The band - led by vocalist Iggy Pop - will perform a belated tribute show to the guitarist, who passed away in 2009, next Tuesday (19.04.11) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the town where the band formed.

Scott Asheton, who was Ron's brother, said: "It's not going to be a sombre event. It's going to be an uplifting event, Ron loved Ann Arbor very much - it's the reason he didn't leave.

"Everyone else would go to New York or California or Nashville - he was just happy to be in Ann Arbor. The band started there, that's where we grew up, where we all went to school. We kicked it off on Halloween in 1968 at a private party, freaked everybody out."

The Stooges will play the show with James Williamson - who replaced Ron for the band's third album 'Raw Power' - and Deniz Tek sharing guitar, while they will be joined by Steve Mackay on sax and Mike Watt on bass.

Iggy also said it was important that the band, one of the originators of the US punk scene, play in Ann Arbor as it is where "our group, our attitudes and our ideals were forged. It really was the birth of a movement."

Scott also paid tribute to his brother saying he misses him and thinks he would appreciate the show.

He added to website Annorbor.com: "I know there are going to be moments with me that will be hard. That's just the way it is. I'm sure Ron would appreciate it very much.

"There are certain things you share close with your brother, and now and then I'll think of something and I'll think 'I've got to tell Ronnie this,' then I go, 'Oh s**t."