By Damian Jones 6 Music News reporter

Iggy Pop said his band recently returned to the studio for rehearsals

Iggy Pop has revealed he will make a comeback with The Stooges in 2010 despite the recent death of guitarist Ron Asheton.

The singer said the 60-year-old's "spirit still lives on" within the group and the band will return next year for a full tour.

"The band have been rehearsing more without me than with me because I've been doing other things this year.

"But we have been rehearsing all together more recently," he said.

Pop continued: "We're going to be doing a one-off show in Brazil in a few weeks but the real touring starts next year."

Spiritual presence

The singer said Asheton's "spirit still lives on" within the group and original guitarist James Williamson will rejoin the band after nearly 30 years.

"We're all very sorry about Ron," Pop told 6 Music presenter Shaun Keaveny.

"His spirit within the group remains with the rest of us and he is still a presence within the group without being on the physical plain.

I have no idea whether Elijah will be playing me, I doubt it Iggy Pop, The Stooges

"With the exception of (Mike) Watt we all played in the same bands during the same two or three years in the Detroit area and knew each other in various ways and did extra curricular things together besides playing music.

"Everybody went to the same bars and coffee shops and we swapped girls and did all the things you do."

Asheton was found dead in his bed by police at his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in January this year. It is believed he died of a heart attack.

He was an original member of the band fronted by Pop in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

His riffs featured on hits including I Wanna Be Your Dog, No Fun and Down On The Street.

Living legend

Pop, who is due to receive the living legend award at the Marshall Classic Rock Roll of Honour awards, said right from the recording of early single 1969, he was in it for the long haul.

"Once I set out not to go to school and go into music instead I always thought this is what I'm doing with my life now.

"I never thought, 'Hey this is a youth market so by the time I'm 24 I'd better have my first $3m'.

Iggy Pop and The Stooges in their early days

"It was never a career thing it was a life thing so it's kind of worked out that way. It seemed difficult and far fetched and I knew it was going to be tough."

It has been reported Elijah Wood will be playing Pop in the forthcoming film biopic The Passenger.

But the singer said it was unlikely the Lord Of The Rings star would be taking up the role.

"I have no idea whether that is the case, I doubt it," he added. "I haven't had any contact with those people for a queen's age, a long time.

Listen back to the full interview by tuning in to Shaun Keaveny's show on 6 Music.