For decades, one of Britain’s greatest exports and attractions has been music. The Fuji Rock Festival seems to become more UK-centric every year and 2012 was no exception, so we sent along photographer Chris Willson to capture the atmosphere for BCCJ ACUMEN readers. We also profile—and borrowed some images from—Mikio Ariga, who is living the dream as the only official photographer in Japan of what is perhaps the UK’s most proficient export in the rock industry, The Rolling Stones.
Indeed, as part of the government’s global GREAT campaign—to showcase Britain’s capabilities, promote and enhance its reputation, and maximise the economic potential of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games—music is one of the 11 key areas of British excellence, as well as one of the reasons to invest in, and visit, the UK. That is in addition to technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity, knowledge, green technology, heritage, sport, shopping and the countryside.
The message is clear: Britain is one of the best places in the world to visit, live, work, study, invest and do business.
If anyone doubts the global influence British music enjoys they should consider these comments by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office:
- More albums are sold per head in the UK than anywhere else in the world.
- Annual exports exceed £17bn, with UK artists accounting for almost 12% of global sales of recorded music.
- From Glyndebourne to Glastonbury, the UK has the world’s greatest music festivals.
- The Beatles are the best-selling artists of all time.
- Adele had the longest-running, top-ranked UK record in the billboard charts—for 20 years.
To the Editor
It is very sad when a young woman has to sell her body to help feed herself and her family, but when she does so simply to fund her own ambitions it is disgusting (June 2012, “Maya Gets Her Gear Off”, page 40).
I recently received a copy of ACUMEN, in our JSS [Japan Scotland Society] mailing, showing a young woman doing just that on the front cover.
Had the young woman posed in shorts and t-shirt to show her prosthetic limb and asked for donations to her cause, I would have been one of the first to have donated. As it is, I have had to ask the JSS not to send such explicit material to my office.
Regards
Maud R Ramsay