Veteran rock guitarist Carlos Santana said he would take several months off after the end of a summer tour in support of his namesake band's Supernatural. Santana said he has written several tunes for his next LP. Meanwhile, the concert film "A Supernatural Evening With Santana" — featuring performances with Supernatural collaborators Lauryn Hill, the Product G&B and Rob Thomas — will air May 31 on Fox. DVD and VHS versions are expected later in the summer. ...

Veteran hard-rockers AC/DC are in Los Angeles filming a video for "Safe in New York City," according to a source close to the band. The song is from February's Stiff Upper Lip, the band's first studio recording of new tunes since 1995. ... The Promise Ring singer/guitarist Davey vonBohlen underwent surgery Monday (May 8) to remove a tumor in his head, the band's publicist said. He is expected to make a complete recovery, and the poppy indie-rock band plans to reschedule its canceled European tour. ... Brassy punk-rockers Rocket From the Crypt, post-punk band Alkaline Trio and rock group Saves the Day have all been signed to Vagrant Records and will release new albums in 2001, the label announced Friday (May 12). All three groups, along with emo-rockers the Get Up Kids and other Vagrant acts, will put out new music this year on the interactive sampler disc Another Year on the Streets. ...

Napster's Web site won the Webby award for best music site Thursday (May 11). The online home to the controversial MP3-trading software beat out FarmClub, Launch.com, sputnik7 and Wired Planet. ... The Black Crowes have fired bassist Sven Pipien and replaced him with Greg Rzab, according to a posting on the band's Web site (www.theblackcrowes.com). Rzab has recorded with Buddy Guy and Santana. ... Pearl Jam will meet fans in an online chat Monday (May 15) at 9 p.m. EDT at pearljam.lycos.com. Binaural, the band's new album, is due the following day. ...

Nine Inch Nails canceled a Wednesday night performance at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., citing frontman Trent Reznor's sore vocal cords. ... Latin-metal band Puya will begin recording the follow-up to last year's Fundamental later this month. Garth Richardson (Rage Against the Machine, Kittie) will produce the album, which a band spokesperson said will feature more English lyrics than Puya's debut. ... Former Dead Kennedys drummer D.H. Peligro is expected to join Jumbo Shrimp, a group featuring his former bandmates guitarist East Bay Ray and bassist Klaus Flouride, on Friday night (May 12) at the opening of an exhibit on surf culture at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. ...

Indie-punk supergroup Gene Defcon have released a debut 7-inch EP on Lookout Records, with the promise of more music on upcoming releases from Kill Rock Stars and K Records. The band includes the Tight Bro's From Way Back When's Sean Kelley (bass), Mocket's Audrey Marrs (Farfisa), ex–Primadonna members Otto Mattick (vocals) and Jon Nikki (guitar, drums), plus ex–Bikini Kill drummer Tobi Vail and Bangs bassist Maggie Vail on backing vocals. Meanwhile, Bangs will release Sweet Revenge, their second pop-punk disc, on Tuesday (May 16). ...

Folky singer Damien Jurado pasted together more than 60 minutes of fragments from audio letters and random conversations to form the recently released Postcards and Audio Letters. The album has no music, but the recordings he found on discarded tapes at thrift stores are woven into an abstract narrative. ... The surviving members of pop-rock band INXS will play a show Sunday (May 14) in Melbourne, Australia. Noiseworks frontman Jon Stevens will sing, taking the place of the late Michael Hutchence. ... Rocket From the Crypt, the Toilet Boys, the Melvins and Anti-Flag are among the acts on the soundtrack to Troma Films' "Terror Firmer." The album will be released June 6 on Go-Kart Records. ... Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy said the band has recorded about 15 songs for the follow-up to last year's Summer Teeth. The album could be ready for fall release. Meanwhile, Mermaid Avenue Vol. 2, Wilco's second album with Billy Bragg of recordings of unissued Woody Guthrie songs, is due May 30.

— sonicnet.com staff report