Rock News: Music's high and low notes

MICHAEL MOORE GOES 'BOOM!'

Hard rockers System of a Down and filmmaker Michael Moore are collaborating on an anti-war video for the band's track "Boom!"

"The strangest thing about this impending war is that the people -- the real majority who make up the population of this country and the world -- do not truly want to go to war," Moore said. "Watching the news, you would never know that millions have been out there proposing a different solution -- one that does not involve the slaughter of innocents. It is these people whom we will give voice to in 'Boom!'"

Much of "Boom!" was shot by independent media activists and local guerilla filmmakers at the various marches that took place across the globe over the weekend of Feb. 15 in Berlin, Cape Town, South Africa, Rome, Paris, Tokyo, Washington, London, Chicago, Oslo, Norway, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Croatia, St. Louis, Los Angeles and Iraq.

ZZ TOP IS BACK

Veteran rockers ZZ Top are set to hit the road in support of the band's 14th album, "Mescalero," due out April 15. Billy Gibbons will be plying his hard-edged guitaristics starting April 25 in Bossier City, La., with bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard laying down the groove just as they have since this legendary Texas trio got its start in 1969. The tour will run through June 14, when it wraps up in Dallas, hitting major cities all over the country with the notable exception of New York. "Mescalero," the band's first release since 1999's "XXX," includes 15 original songs and a cover of "Tramp," cut by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas in 1967.

O'CONNOR PLUGS IN

Hot New York-based songwriter Jennifer O'Connor has put together an electric band to perform her new songs. The new group, featuring Matt Carlin on drums, Kim on bass and Billy from the Fandanglers on guitar and pedal steel, will debut Wednesday at the Williamsburg, N.Y., club North Six.

IGGY REUNITES STOOGES

Shock rock pioneer Iggy Pop will rejoin forces with guitarist Ron and drummer Scott Asheton April 27 at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., for a much-anticipated Stooges reunion. The three original band members will be joined by ex-Minutemen bassist Mike Watt on bass replacing David Alexander, who died in 1975. Iggy Pop has an album scheduled for summer release with four new Stooges tunes included. It has been 30 years since the Stooges last recorded 1973's "Raw Power."

BEASTIE BOYS PROTEST WAR

Rap-rock pioneers The Beastie Boys have written a song in protest of the pending war in Iraq, the first new material from the group in three years. The tune, "In a World Gone Mad," is available as a free download at the band's Web site, beastieboys.com. The band currently is in New York recording a new album.