The economics of rock and roll part III -- Gimme (tax) Shelter

From APR's Marketplace:

The image may be rebellious and unkempt, but the reality is that the Rolling Stones are very smart when it comes to money. On worldwide earnings of $150 million last year they paid just 1.5 percent in tax.

The details have emerged under Dutch law. The band's financial advisers apparently have offices in a Dutch tax haven. The lightness of the Stones' tax burden is not a surprise, says former rock musician Neil MacCormick:

NEIL MACCORMICK: They're a big machine. They've probably learned the hard way, and learned on the road how to protect their money.

He says world tours are usually organized according to tax rules, with a band rarely appearing for longer than 30 days in each country.