It has been mentioned that artists do not have the right to re-issue their oldies, as some record company holds the rights. The music industries biggest selling CD of all time is a blank one, encouraging people to copy or "rob" what they consider uncomercially viable to re-issue. We now have "state of the art" record-players with usb connections and all the software to copy from our old vinyl pushed upon us. If you think anyone who has purchased this equipment is going to obey the rules and just make a copy for the car, you are not living in the real world.
Many musicians, again thanks to advanced technology, can now make there own CDs at home, and sell them   at gigs or over the internet, having complete control over royalties,copyright etc.
Are such musicians doing better than those who sold their rights to record companies?
Many collectors or enthusiests chasing after these lost unavailable "treasures" , and downloading them for free because the are not been re-issued, are into nostalgia and hero worship that musicians should be proud of. They already have bought the available stuff. The main reason they are not being re-issued is because they are'nt really great. Through previous similiar threads I purchased 2 Nic Jones CDs. Nice stuff but not a good as I was led to believe from the postings of his many fans, In other words, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.