Manchester scene has always been one of the biggest and most influential musical scenes in the UK. It gave us rave, post punk, cold wave, Madchester sound, Mersey beat and Britpop. From The Hollies, Joy Division, Lisa Stansfield, 808 State to Happy Mondays, Oasis and The Stone Roses – Manchester has an incredibly strong claim to being the first city of the United Kingdom. And it’s not just about music: other cultural icons call Manchester their home: Vivian Westwood, Factory Records, Granada TV. We could sit here all day listing the cultural and heritage significance of the entire Greater Manchester area and we wouldn’t be done. There is so much to mention! And the most beautiful thing? It doesn’t matter how many obstacles, cuts to arts and culture are thrown at Manchester, the scene is just getting stronger. We would like to introduce one of the youngest singers/songwriters this city has – Zeny Bux. We sat down to speak to him about his new single “Flame”, meeting Clint Boon and touring!
Zeny by Pottography
Zeny Bux, you call yourself an acoustic rock and roll star. Please introduce yourself to our readers.
Zeny Bux: I’m Zeny Bux and I’m an 18-year-old solo artist based in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
You come from an amazing family background – Pakistani and Kenyan! Tell us something about your parents’ musical influences. What artists did they listen to at home? Did those artists have any impact on your own musical taste?
Zeny Bux: My dad was into a lot of Bluesy stuff like B.B King, Chuck Berry and Barry White. I remember him saying to me that he wants me to play guitar like B.B King which I sort of did learn to do and he was happy that I was learning guitar. Although, he wasn’t a fan of the influences I was inspired by like Oasis for example!
The Manchester scene has always been bursting with talent. Many journalists are saying that alongside fellow singers/songwriters Alex Spencer and Jace Campbell, you are leading a new wave of Madchester acts. What do you think makes so many people fall in love with your music?
Zeny Bux: I suppose it’s because of both: the lyric writing and singing. When it comes to playing on stage, I gotta have good stage presence of course and I guess people have also become aquatinted to that too. As to songwriting, I write whatever comes to mind and it’s very inevitable to write a really good song.
Despite your young age, you have supported many legendary artists such as Barry Sutton (The La’s) and Chris Helme (The Seahorses). Tell us how it feels to share the stage with your rock and roll heroes?
Zeny Bux: Well, for supporting Barry Sutton, it was actually a bit of a great gig but it didn’t turn good as it was planned…
Barry went one off at me over accidentally interrupting him (which I did apologise for) and we sort of went our own ways. Fun fact however, that was the first time playing a supporting slot, especially someone who was with The La’s! Not to mention, it was my first time playing in Liverpool!
As for supporting Chris Helme, it was actually a pretty good night! I enjoyed it very much. He called a ‘millennial head’ which I’ll never forget! Great guy and an incredible singing voice though!
We heard the story that you met Clint Boon once when busking. Is it true that Clint Boon crossed the road to find out who you were after hearing you sing? Here`s your chance to tell the world about that encounter.
Zeny Bux: Yes, I did meet Clint Boon! He was a really sound guy, I hung out with him at Lion’s Den when he was DJing there for the last time! Basically, when I finished busking and I was ready to set off back home, he came up to me outside of the Pretty Green shop on King Street and said that I was great at singing. I went “Are you Clint Boon!?” and he went “Yeah” and I was just blown away. I’ve always wanted to meet him in person! Proper sound dude. I really enjoyed hanging out with him at Lion’s Den!
To date you have released four singles “Standing on the Edge of the World”, “I Need Time”, “Better Dreams” and “Flame” – to considerable airplay and interest from the local press. Were you expecting this level of engagement?
Zeny Bux: Well, with “Standing on The Edge Of The World”, I disown that song now and I absolutely hate it! But it got played out on the radio and I got my name out for the first time!
However, the other songs like “Better Dreams”, it got my name out pretty well. Before I released “Better Dreams”, I made a name for myself on TikTok (which I formerly used) and I made a following of 6,000 on there. When “Better Dreams” came out, I was blown away with the number of streams it got. Now, it’s got almost 4,000 streams on Spotify! The other songs like “I Need Time” and “Flame”, yeah, I got quite more of a recognition with those two as well!
Zeny and his guitar by Pottography
“Flame” is an incredible single. It`s like you fused Britpop with American pop punk. To a degree, it feels like the beginning of a new genre. Britpunk? Do you think you could start a new chapter in contemporary popular music?
Zeny Bux: I dream to do so, but I wouldn’t really get too much of my hopes up. It depends and it’s all down to the other bands like SHADE, The Coltens, The Haciendas, or even The Shed Project.
Will it happen really? I don’t know. There’s only one way to find out! Let’s just see what the local music industry has got for us.
Like many young musicians on an independent circuit your lyrics centre around living in an unstable, unpredictable world, yet you manage to offer hope. How do you balance light and despair?
Zeny Bux: One thing I learned from and about myself is to not live life for no one, live life for yourself. The generation of today has become a huge downfall and what we see and how we have to live life is ridiculously ludicrous. I don’t believe in what I see in today’s day and age.
All this internet drama, cancel culture, vaping, all that nonsense, back in 2005-2010, we never had that! No, we never had that at all. People lived like it was the 90’s still, television had so much to offer (such as Boomerang, Cartoon Network and Disney Channel), TikTok didn’t exist then, there were bloody Sky Kids magazines which I may or may’ve not got the chance to read!
So, the way I live my life (The Zeny Bux Way), is to just not worry to about a thing. Try to be as happy and positive as possible. Don’t think or look at what today’s day and age have got to offer cause it’s God awful!
Look back at the good old days (the late 2000s I’d suggest), cherish it. Even try to live it again, cause that’s pretty much helpful for my anxiety. Just look after yourself is what I can give to say and drink both water and coffee.
Last question is always a bit of fun at Indieterria. You are being commissioned to curate the new Spike Island Festival. You can bring any artists from any genre on the bill. Who is playing and who is headlining.
Zeny Bux: Oasis, The Stone Roses, The La’s and The Beatles, Dolly Porton and Avril Lavine as the headliners. Northside, The Jam, U2, Feeder and The Courteeners as other players on the festival!
Please follow Zeny Bux online:
https://www.facebook.com/zenadin.bux.35
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCByN15I434PkrNuzOsE2-_w
https://www.instagram.com/zenybux/
https://twitter.com/ZenyBux
https://www.tiktok.com/@definitelyzeny
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1TqpapbMoR3bqOH0aElOVn?utm
https://zenybux.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/user-978820176
“Flame” is out now independently.
R+M Dabrowicz
Indieterria 