Briefly: Attendance slides at Graceland in the wake of Sept. 11

plus: Christian music sales grow. Joey Ramone Place. Can guitarist dead at 53. Anti-copying snafu leads BMG-UK to replace CDs. Vivendi Universal consolidates. Lisa Loeb ponders baking at concerts.

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Elvis Presley Enterprises laid off 50 employees--about 15% of its workforce--because of declining attendance at Graceland since the Sept. 11 attacks. The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported that the number of visitors to Presley's mansion has declined by at least 15%.

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Sales of contemporary Christian and gospel music have increased by 20% since the Sept. 11 attacks, according to the Christian Music Trade Organization.

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A sign reading "Joey Ramone Place"--named for the late Ramones frontman--will be erected at the corner of East Second Street and the Bowery in New York--a site near the famous punk club CBGB--sometime next year.

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Guitarist Michael Karoli, 53, of the experimental German act Can, died on Saturday (11/17), according to Spoon Records. According to a posting on the website of his bandmate Holger Czukay, Karoli died unexpectedly in his home "while playing his favorite instrument." No further details could be immediately confirmed.

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People in the United Kingdom who purchased Natalie Imbruglia's recent CD "White Lilies Island" and found that its anti-copying technology prevented them from playing the CD in their CD or DVD players can call a hotline established by major label BMG and get a replacement copy, CNet.com reported.

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From a press release issued by major label Vivendi Universal:

Vivendi Universal announced today [11/19] the formation of U.S.-based Vivendi Universal Net USA Group, Inc. ...

The company's charter is to consolidate Vivendi Universal's music, games, and educational web sites under a single management structure. The new company will be based in Los Angeles.

Websites under Vivendi's umbrella include MP3.com, EMusic.com, GetMusic.com and RollingStone.com.

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The Los Angeles Times reported that Lisa Loeb is "contemplating having a real oven onstage for shows on her 2002 tour, so she can actually bake a pie during each concert. It would be a natural play on the title of the album, 'Cake and Pie,' due for U.S. release on Feb. 26."