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Remember the controversy of the "longbox"?

What's with the CD longbox? -- We look into the wasteful packaging of CDs (published April 20, 1990)

In honor of Earth Day on April 22, how about a clean thought: The music industry could eliminate more than 18.5 million pounds of trash each year if it only would change the way it packages compact discs. That is, roughly, the same amount of garbage created daily by a population the size of Missouri’s.

Daily Missouri Garbage Creation is apparently a unit of measurement we should all be familiar with.

Since April 1, when Canada stopped using longboxes, Americans have been the only people in the world who have to pollute for their music. The United States is unlikely to follow Canada’s lead in the near future. None of the major forces in the American retail market for music, the world’s largest, want to bear the costs of changing the way CDs are sold.

That bolded part seems a bit unfair given that as you point out the case alone has an environmental cost.

Here's an example of "good presentation" in CD packaging:

Spiral-Bound Booklet Format

Of course it's not going to fit in a whole lot of CD shelves and since it's thin cardboard you'll have to be nicer to it if you want to keep it nice.

And now? With the .mp3 format and the internet and the whole "information age," what big independent act is around to follow in those footsteps? Koopa? Sure, there are independent "jam" acts all over the place trying to fill that void (Umphrey's McGee, Gov't Mule, Tea Leaf Green, String Cheese Incident as well as smaller acts like Soldiers of Jah Army and The Bridge) but, even with the help of the information age and the internet, have yet to really take off.

"...do we necessarily need a large label? Probably nowadays, no you don't." No, you don't. The Dead proved that over 30 years ago. Also proved you don't need the internet or any fancy information age form of communication, either.

Don't get me wrong. The most powerful way (especially for independent musicians) to get your music out is word of mouth. And sure, cell phones and the internet and sites like the Internet Archive all help, but likely it will still take a friend to tell you they saw [insert band here] and really liked them for you to do anything about it or to take notice of said artist. Great, so bands have websites and people can go there and possibly download music, or buy their CDs, or read all about them. People still need to have some motivation to go to that website.

There is no controversy. Technology is not illegal. Uses of it are. People like etree make such a mockery of the RIAA's claims that filesharing is only used for evil that it's not even funny. Perhaps the RIAA is pissed off that so many bands are content with giving their music away for absolutely free.

has anyone asked snoop on his opinion?

each to their own - give me a little a3 or gov't mule and i'll be happy. unfortunately i fit into the "call centre" category...... damn outsourcing

Gov't Mule here and for free live music try here

I happen to be listening to the Gov't Mule cover of War Pigs off of Live With A Little Help From Our Friends.

I happen to be listening to the Gov't Mule cover of War Pigs off of Live With A Little Help From Our Friends.

Without blanket radio airplay it's almost impossible to launch a hit single, or sustain a career, in the music business today.(emphasis added)