Vic: Rock stalwart's guitars stolen

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2005
Vic: Rock stalwart's guitars stolen

By Jane Bunce

MELBOURNE, Dec 12 AAP - Australian rock stalwart Charlie Owen and his two rare guitars
have toured the world with the likes of the Divinyls, Tex Perkins and Cold Chisel songwriter
Don Walker.

But the Beasts of Bourbon member's distinctive sound was in jeopardy after thieves
stole the instruments from his Melbourne home yesterday.

Owen said today he had played one of the two guitars, a Fender Telecaster Deluxe and
rare 1930s Kluson slide guitar, on all his major tours and recordings since his early
days in the music industry.

He had just brought home the guitars, worth almost $10,000, after playing with Perkins
and Walker in London in September and touring nationally in November.

"I'm pretty miserable," he said.

"That's the sound of our recording, those two guitars. They are my life blood. They
are irreplaceable."

When Owen was at a gallery opening yesterday a friend called him with news his front
door had been smashed.

Jewellery, clothes, sculptures, vitamin tablets and the guitars were taken during the
Jackson Rd, St Kilda, ransacking which occurred sometime between 1.45pm (AEDT) and 7pm
yesterday.

The thief also left a trail of blood through the house after cutting his arm on the
door, police said.

Owen said he planned to trawl local pawn shops and was hopeful the distinctive guitars
would be tracked down, "but it's just an awful feeling".

"I've been playing music all my life and they are my voice, so to speak," he said.

"It's horrible."

AAP jb/gfr/mon/sd

KEYWORD: GUITARS (PIX AVAILABLE)

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