John Lydon wrote in his auto biography,...

John Lydon wrote in his auto biography, “Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs,” that he left Virgin Records because the company had been sold to EMI, the subject of one of his most vituperative Sex Pistols songs. But after originally signing to Atlantic for his upcoming debut solo album, he’s changed his tune and decided to return to Virgin instead, with the album due this summer--just in time for the paperback release of the book. . . .

The latest bidding-war winner is rising, L.A.-based Wax, which has been nabbed by Interscope for a reported $650,000, topping sizable offers from Atlantic and Epic. Interscope will soon take over working the band’s new album, “13 Unlucky Numbers,” which was recently released by the independent, San Diego-based Cargo Records. The loser: Virgin-owned Caroline Records, which dropped the band a couple of years ago. . . .

Just in time for Valentine’s Day: Continuum Records has just released “Cupid’s Revenge: The World’s Most Romantic Punk Songs,” a new collection featuring such tender tunes as the Dictators’ version of “I Got You Babe,” the Dead Milkmen’s “If You Love Somebody, Set Them on Fire,” X’s “Johnny Hit and Run Pauline” and the first-ever CD appearance of the Rotters’ “Sit on My Face Stevie Nicks.” That last song had Mick Fleetwood calling KROQ back in 1978 threatening legal action if the station kept playing it.

Isaac Hayes has reunited his old Stax studio band--including guitarist Charles (Skip) Pitts, who provided the famous wah-wah on the theme from “Shaft”--for two new albums: “Raw and Refined” will feature all-instrumental tracks, while “Branded” will be a vocal album, including a remake of Hayes’ “Hyperbolic” with guest rapping by Chuck D.