According to an interview of Bill Wyman that I recently watched, the non-writers in the group (everyone other than Keith and Mick) only make any real money when they’re playing live. Wyman said that when the Stones took their touring hiatus during the 80s he and Charlie Watts were almost broke.
That’s essentially true. I PM’d a Freeper here in Hollywood a year ago who handles the shows for bands playing in 1000 seat arenas and the studios hold the rights and money played everytime on the radio or for sales. The only way the bands make money is by playing live.
I was talking to someone here recently who was a roadie for Guns N Roses (the stories he told me blew me away) that Axl and Slash were paid a small %age for the sales during Appetite’ because Geffen was desperate for them. You can attribute that to their smart agent.