Music to mark the demise of the analogue meter

The unique musical performance, entitled A Requiem for Meters was recorded in the world famous Abbey Road Studios – a favourite of The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Kate Bush – on custom-made instruments including electric meter violins, cellos made from empty gas meters and a timpani drum constructed from 18 gas meters welded together.

The three minute long original piece of music, composed by the award-winning British musician and independent filmmaker Gary Tarn, is available to listen to on Spotify and the Smart Energy GB website.

Conductor with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Chris Egan, said: “Abbey Road Studio Two has been the site of some extraordinary experimental recordings over the years, but this recital played entirely with instruments made from old gas and electricity meters is perhaps one of the most unusual. It has been great fun to conduct and I think we have ended up with the perfect soundtrack to mark the passing of old meters and the coming of smart meters.”

A Requiem for Meters has been released alongside an in memoriam film of old gas and electricity meters to raise awareness of the national smart meter rollout. Smart meters will replace out-dated gas and electricity meters in every household in Great Britain by 2020. They will bring an end to estimated energy bills and let people see exactly how much they are spending – in pounds and pence – on gas and electricity.

84 per cent of smart meter users would recommend one to a friend, neighbour or relative with three quarters (75 per cent) saying they now understand their energy bills – compared with only 56 per cent of people who have old analogue meters.

Four in five (79 per cent) smart meter users say they have taken steps to conserve energy use to lower energy bills such as turning off lights, turning their heating down or changing the way household appliances are used.

Sacha Deshmukh, chief executive of Smart Energy GB, said: “I’m very excited to be part of this project. It’s fantastic to see and hear these incredible instruments made from old analogue meters. This project has brought together the skills of some of the best instrument makers in the country with our finest musicians to record this beautiful and unusual piece of music which will mark a momentous transformation, taking place in every home in the country.”

REGIONAL NEED FOR SMART METERS

• LONDON: 21 per cent of Londoners say they do not understand their energy bills and 49 per cent are worried about running up big energy bills without realising it
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• EAST MIDLANDS: 19 per cent of people in the East Midlands say they do not understand their energy bills and 51 per cent are worried about running up big energy bills without realising it
• WEST MIDLANDS: 19 per cent of people in the West Midlands say they do not understand their energy bills and 50 per cent are worried about running up big energy bills without realising it
• EAST: 18 per cent of people in the East say they do not understand their energy bills and 48 per cent are worried about running up big energy bills without realising it
• NORTH WEST: 20 per cent of people in the North West say they do not understand their energy bills and 55 per cent are worried about running up big energy bills without realising it
• NORTH EAST: 20 per cent of people in the North East say they do not understand their energy bills and 49 per cent are worried about running up big energy bills without realising it
• SOUTH WEST: 19 per cent of people in the South West say they do not understand their energy bills and 51 per cent are worried about running up big energy bills without realising it
• SOUTH EAST: 21 per cent of people in the South East say they do not understand their energy bills and 51 per cent are worried about running up big energy bills without realising it
• YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER: 22 per cent of people in Yorkshire and the Humber say they do not understand their energy bills and 50 per cent are worried about running up big energy bills without realising it
• SCOTLAND: 26 per cent of Scottish people say they do not understand their energy bills and 51 per cent are worried about running up big energy bills without realising it
• WALES: 20 per cent of Welsh people say they do not understand their energy bills and 48 per cent are worried about running up big energy bills without realising it

For more information and interview requests, please contact the Smart Energy GB press office at The Academy on 020 3092 9781 and [email protected].

 

Notes to editors

 

About the research

Populus undertook the research and 10,101 interviews were achieved between 18th May 2015 and 1st June 2015.


About Smart Energy GB

Smart Energy GB is the not-for-profit campaign for the national smart meter rollout. It is our task to help everyone in Great Britain understand smart meters, the national rollout and how to use their new meters to get their gas and electricity under control. Our national campaign has already begun and will reach all households and microbusinesses in England, Scotland and Wales.

About smart meters and the rollout 

Smart meters will replace the traditional meters we currently have in our homes. They will provide consumers with accurate bills, near real time information on energy usage in pounds and pence, and greater control over their gas and electricity. The smart meter rollout is an essential technology upgrade, unprecedented in its scale, to improve Great Britain’s energy infrastructure. Between now and 2020, everyone across England, Scotland and Wales will be offered a smart meter by their energy supplier at no extra cost. Almost two million smart meters have already been installed in homes and microbusinesses. Find out how you can get a smart meter from your energy supplier.

About Gary Tarn

Gary Tarn is a British filmmaker and composer best known for Black Sun, an award-winning and BAFTA-nominated documentary about blind author Hugues de Montalembert, and The Prophet a film based on the best-selling book by Kahlil Gibran and narrated by Thandie Newton. Gary’s film catalogue was acquired by the BFI National Archive in 2014.