The journey from Dublin to London is well-trodden ground for musicians seeking reinvention, but few have channelled that geographic transition into such a compelling creative metamorphosis as Kissing On Camera. Their story begins with clarity before dissolving into beautiful chaos, the kind that only comes from throwing yourself headlong into the unknown.
Frontman Josh Rosney’s decision to leave Dublin wasn’t primarily about music, as he explains: “I moved mainly because I think I needed a change. I’d lived in Dublin my whole life and haven’t done too much travelling or anything, not that London is travelling very far, but I felt like I needed to live somewhere else that wasn’t my home for a while.” The practical realities of Dublin’s housing market also played a role – “There’s also a pretty awful housing crisis there, so it’s hard to live out of home,” he notes.
For guitarist Sam Cheesmore, the move emerged from a similar place of restlessness: “I think to move from Dublin to London was inspired by not really knowing what to do in Dublin and maybe being at a bit of a loose end – I think I was more at a loose end than anything else and moved in the interest of filling time and having the life experience versus anything else.”
That sense of displacement and searching has formed ‘Baby Names’, the band’s debut EP that captures both the electricity of new beginnings and the bittersweet pangs of leaving home. “I wrote most of the songs in the first couple of months after I moved to London,” Rosney shares. “I didn’t really know what I was gonna do with them at that stage, but something about the move made me feel quite inspired to start writing something newish.”
The five-track collection – ‘Corner Couch’, ‘Tag, You’re It’, ‘Lil’ Horse’, ‘Voice Actor’ and ‘Just A Kid’ – emerged from a DIY recording process spanning two cities. As Rosney describes it: “We were doing it all independently and didn’t have any money to spend on it. Recording a band with no money is hard, so it took a while to organise and finish.” The band found creative solutions, with drummer Morgan (who also produced the EP) noting: “During that process, it was difficult at times to make sure we were capturing the live sound we wanted while recording and working mostly in different countries.”
The result is what Rosney calls “that kinda nostalgic, fuzzed out emo sound,” though that barely captures the dynamic range of their music. While the EP maintains a cohesive identity, it moves from intimate whispers to explosive crescendos with the confidence of a band who’ve been playing together far longer than they actually have.
Dublin’s music scene’s DNA remains in their sound, even as they forge new territory. “I think Dublin music will always influence me a bit,” Rosney reflects. “I felt so involved in a scene when I was there, playing with the same people in the same venues; it felt like we were all doing it together. I haven’t felt that as much here yet.”
Sam elaborates on this heritage: “There is a real sincerity to Irish music – whether it’s Fontaines D.C, Curtisy, Deathtoricky or Search Results. Irish music feels very straightforward. There’s an honesty to Irish bands that mirrors a lot of the principles of genres like hardcore, post-hardcore, emo and Midwest-emo. You’re effectively just expressing your feelings and thoughts for the sake of it, even if you might not feel the same tomorrow morning; I think that is quite Irish in some ways.”
This authenticity carries through to their songwriting process. “I like telling stories; most of them are rooted in my experiences in some way,” Rosney explains. “I kinda just use it to write down however I’m feeling at the time. Any time I think of a line I like or an idea, I’ll write it down; sometimes, a song can come from revisiting one of them way later.”
The band’s trajectory is rapidly accelerating, with festival appearances and support slots positioning them for a breakthrough year. “By the time the EP comes out we’ll have played Dot To Dot festival in Bristol and Nottingham. Then we’re playing Outbreak Fest in Manchester in July, as well as opening for Boston Manor in Brighton later in the month,” Rosney shares.
For Sam, these opportunities represent the realisation of long-held dreams: “Something I always wanted to do as a musician was to play Outbreak – so to be able to play that so early on is kind of surreal. It’s not something that I ever thought I’d be able to say I did; in that way, I’ve already achieved a huge goal of mine.”
Looking ahead, the band seem poised between ambition and pragmatism. When asked about what success looks like, Rosney admits: “I don’t think I’ve worked that out yet. My mind switches from wanting loads of success in the music industry to just being able to quit my job in hospitality (shout out my job in hospitality). But I think it would be sick if people liked the music I made and it allowed me to keep making it.”
Their musical influences reflect both their roots and their aspirations. “I honestly feel like it’s the best it’s been in years,” Rosney enthuses about the current state of music. “M.J. Lenderman is wild, of course. I’ve been listening to him for years, and it’s awesome to see him get so successful. Cameron Winter’s album is also incredible! Caroline, This Is Lorelei, Armlock, all of them are releasing such good music right now, I could go on for ages. It’s a good time to listen to new music.”
As the band continue to evolve, they’re already looking toward their next creative chapter. “Right now, we’re playing a lot of shows and gearing up for our first festivals this summer, which is exciting,” Rosney says. “Hopefully, we’ll have some more cool gigs to announce soon, too. I’d love to get back to recording asap. I’m always writing, and we’ve got some older songs I’m really keen to release.”
Until then, Kissing On Camera stand apart – not because they’re trying to, but because they don’t know how to be any other way: it’s the sound of a band discovering who they are in real-time, with all the messy beauty that entails.
Kissing On Camera’s debut EP ‘Baby Names’ is out 27th May.
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