The Stooges’ late Ron Asheton was one of the most influential and vital guitarists in rock history. Not a technical virtuoso nor a versatile player, Asheton instead dazzled through the power and intensity of his attack, his primal, unforgettable riffs, and his scabrous, incendiary textures. He needed to ratchet up his sound to match Iggy Pop’s outsized personality and mic/stage presence, and that Asheton did, with flying sparks. His incisive, potent m.o. provided crucial DNA for the evolution of metal, punk, and glam rock.

In honor of his sadly early passing at age 60 earlier this month, I present what I think are Asheton’s most impressive moments. I could easily go on all day on this topic; it wasn’t easy to narrow them down to this number. (Here are NME's top 5 Asheton riffs.)

“Little Doll”: Those opening explosions and that descending riff: so much uplift and doom economically packed into one piece. The solo that occupies the second half becomes increasingly unnerving, mirroring Iggy’s abject desperation.

“No Fun”: Man, what a grinding, satisfying riff. When Iggy implores, “Come on, Ron, tell ’em how I, tell ’em how I, tell ’em how I feel,” Asheton responds with rousing, “at the end of his tether” exclamations in the six-string equivalent of boldfaced italics.

“Loose”: If you haven’t fucked or fought to this song, then you really haven’t fucked or fought. Birthday Party and many others were inspired to cover it, but nobody beats the original.

“Dirt”: Always made me think this was the Stooges trying to be Funkadelic circa 1970 (which is actually the year “Dirt” came out, but the groups were in close proximity). Asheton at his most crystalline and Eddie Hazel-esque.

“We Will Fall”: Proves Asheton was no one-shtick pony. You can hear the seeds of Swans and Loop in this haunting, simmering dirge.

"Down on the Street": Guitar as stalking wildcat, all animalistic urges/id-iful lust—yet precise with it.