Cock rock: watch plucking rooster play guitar

A rockin' rooster has been caught playing his own brand of cock rock on an acoustic guitar at a charity shop in Southampton - a real-life case of chicken pickin'.

In the video above, Cooper - named after Alice Cooper, natch - displays some mean beak picking skills before attempting a few speedy Chickenfoot licks. Joe Satriani would be proud.

Rumour has it that the rooster's nylon-strung acoustic is from a limited run of instruments produced in the late-'50s - making it rare as hen's teeth.

The cluck 'n' roller is owned by Wendy Jarvis, who manages the Second Chance charity shop in West End, near Southampton, and regularly entertains customers with his hand-pecked setlists.

Following the residency, Cooper is set to embark on a tour of coops nationwide with a covers set that includes the likes of Rooster by Alice In Chains, Garth Brooks's Dixie Chicken and, of course, Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Tickets are on sale now for a poultry fee - but that's only if Cooper doesn't chicken out first.

Michael Astley-Brown

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.