Om os

5i12 is a musical manifesto. A work created by two composers of mature age who refuse to remain silent in a time marked by war, climate change and global unrest. The album consists of 12 tracks, each carrying a message — some poetic, some raw, all necessary.

With electronic soundscapes, atmospheric passages and lyrical fragments that reflect the state of the world, two mature composers have recorded an album, 5i12, which is both an auditory journey and a social commentary. The title refers to the time just before midnight — a metaphor for how close we are to the edge.

John Vesterbæk and HP Nielsen played together in the late 1960s with three friends in the skiffle band Shomron. The collaboration ended when adult life knocked on the door, and HP ended up in Aarhus.

They lost contact with each other, but each of them kept music alive in different contexts. In recent years they met again and discovered that they had both created music and lyrics that could provide a shared perspective on the world we live in. That is how the idea of creating a project together arose.

Over the years John built a recording studio and completed training as a producer. It was therefore natural that they sat down together in John’s studio and used the possibilities technology offers nowadays.

The result was the album 5i12 released under the name HJVP-Spes.

The project is a one-off initiative, created with passion and care. The music is produced, pressed and released independently — and is now ready to be shared with the world.

The finished result

 

 

If there is one thing I have learned over time, it is that life reveals itself when you make yourself available to it.

Here we have the full team who were in the studio during the recording of "5i12".

 

HP has played in a jazz orchestra as well as in rock/pop bands in Aarhus, and John has played in various dance bands and rock/pop bands in Esbjerg. For John, this was throughout the 1980s and 1990s. HP still plays in the jazz orchestra.
Furthermore, they both had several of their own compositions lying unused, which they had each considered should be revealed in one way or another.

 

The musical and friendly connection that existed when they played together 50 years ago was quickly reborn when they met again.
In fact, their contact was at a very low level from the 1970s until they reestablished the connection 4–5 years ago.
So now that working life was over, they started a music project with a clear problem statement from the outset.
"A musical portrait of the time we live in now."

How did the interest in music arise?

This is where it started for John. At seven years old, Elvis Presley was the absolute highlight; the music was played on the newly acquired Arene radio/television.

14 years old. A guitar as a confirmation gift and then the Beatles!

A musical family. Two musical uncles play in John's room while the brothers watch with interest.

HP remembers the moment when music caught him. He heard the song "The Price of Love" by the Everly Brothers. Something very special happened for him then. Almost a revelation.
Later he heard a record his older brother had bought as a single: Tony Sheridan with "My Bonnie". HP was 14 at that time.
Then he went to the local music shop where he bought a guitar for 85 kroner.

14 years old. Bought with the money he received as a confirmation gift

17 years old and lead guitarist in Shomron, playing a Hofner guitar.

20 years old and now HP is an experienced guitarist in Shomron.

                                               SHOMRON

After some initial musical rehearsals with various music enthusiasts in Sædding, a suburb of Esbjerg, Shomron was formed.
On drums Carsten. On guitar HP. Keyboard Jens Olav and on bass John.

HP. Leadguitarist

John on bas

Drums. Carsten

Jens Olav on keyboard

Introduction
The 1960s were an optimistic and creative decade marked by a strong belief in the future and an explosive musical development. Beatlemania and the waves of British rock set the standard: young groups were inspired to write their own songs, experiment with sound and build local music scenes. In Esbjerg and the surrounding area the music life blossomed in the wake of this movement, with youth clubs and small venues serving as important stages for new bands.
Shomron Origin and Early Years
Shomron emerged from the music scene in Sædding near Esbjerg. In 1964–65 musicians tried several line-ups until Shomron found its final formation. The group was given a rehearsal room by the parish council in Guldager on Præstemarksvej, which was decisive for the band’s development.

 

Practice and Repertoire
They rehearsed almost daily for several years, and the intense practice turned Shomron into a well-playing ensemble. The band started as a cover group but gradually began introducing original compositions. The repertoire typically consisted of three sets; arrangements were simple but driven by the joy of playing and a strong belief that the project had potential.
Concerts and Local Success
Shomron landed numerous gigs in youth clubs and venues in Esbjerg and other towns in western Jutland. They even traveled to the border area near Højer to perform. The local scene gave the group stage experience and contact with audiences, and the band’s active performance schedule reflected the 1960s’ lively amateur and semi-professional music environment.

 

Opportunities Obstacles and Decline

Toward the end of the 1960s the musical landscape changed; internal problems in major bands like the Beatles made an impression on young musicians and marked the end of a particularly creative period. For Shomron a concrete opportunity to take the next step arose when they were offered a tour in northern Germany, but they declined. At the same time education and military service drew some members in other directions. The group was never officially dissolved, but it lost momentum and never realized the potential to break through.
Concluding Perspective


Shomron is a good example of a local 1960s band: great energy, strong cohesion through daily rehearsals, developing original compositions and active participation in a flourishing local music life. Despite talent and opportunities, the band’s path toward further professionalization was interrupted by chosen refusals, life’s obligations and shifts in the musical zeitgeist, so the story ends in an informal stop rather than a dramatic breakup.