[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Why would you remove it and then put something else in there? The cracked state of the stuff is normal; it simply shrinks a bit here and there over time and that happens. If you want to remove it for lightness--typically you'll save 15/20 pounds if you go to great effort to get it all out--do so and simply paint the pan with whatever good paint you wish to use. If you want to remove it and replace it with new sound-deadener, your replacement will also soon show cracks, that's normal, doesn't mean it isn't fuctioning to deaden sound.