From Mar Vista to Berklee: My Courtesy’s Sonic Coming-of-Age

From Mar Vista to Berklee: My Courtesy’s Sonic Coming-of-Age

In a world of algorithmic playlists and fleeting trends, My Courtesy is carving out a space for raw emotion, layered soundscapes, and DIY authenticity. The brainchild of Jeff Falcone and Rob Nystrom, this genre-blurring duo met at Berklee College of Music but first found their creative spark in a Los Angeles studio, where they recorded their debut self-titled EP in a whirlwind summer session. With a sound that fuses early 2000s post-hardcore grit with cinematic textures and introspective lyrics, My Courtesy is a band born of friendship, late-night inspiration, and a shared hunger to make something real. We caught up with Jeff and Rob to talk about their musical roots, the making of their debut, and what’s next as they gear up to bring their sound to the stage.

We’re here with two members of My Courtesy. Can you introduce yourselves and tell us what you do in the band?
Rob: Hey, I’m Rob Nystrom—producer, singer, songwriter.

Jeff: I’m Jeff Falcone, also a producer and writer. Yeah, it’s just the two of us in the band. We pretty much do everything ourselves.

Where is the band based, and what’s your local music scene like? I know you were in Los Angeles.
Jeff: I’m originally from Los Angeles and have been involved in the music scene there most of my life. In high school, I played in a few bands around the South Bay, and more recently I’ve been gigging in Hollywood and North Hollywood.

Rob: I lived in LA as a kid—my whole family’s musical, so that’s where it started. Later, I moved to Boston to be closer to my mom’s side of the family. Jeff and I met at a music program here, and I still spend a lot of time in LA since I have a studio there and family to stay with. Last summer, we were both in LA and decided to record together. We kind of winged it, but the music came together naturally, and we knew we had something worth putting out. Now we’re both in Boston attending Berklee College of Music, and we’ve built a live band here. We’re just starting to gig and get involved in the Boston scene.

Jeff: Yeah, the project really came to life last summer when Rob was out in LA. We finally had the time and space to bring our ideas to fruition.

Rob: Absolutely.

What’s the Berklee College of Music experience been like so far?
Rob: It’s amazing—if you love music, Berklee is the place to be. You’re immersed in it 24/7. It’s definitely demanding and can be stressful, but we’re both in our first semester and loving it. The people are great, the environment is super supportive, and everyone is really driven. It’s inspiring to be around so many serious musicians.

Jeff: Totally. Being surrounded by people who share your passion for music really accelerates your growth. It’s a motivating atmosphere.

Where did the band name “My Courtesy” come from? It’s a bold choice in a not-so-courteous world.
Rob: Yeah, no kidding. More power to us for that. The name came about when Jeff and I were working on a few songs in Mar Vista. We knew we had something special and that we’d be going to college together, so we’d have time to keep building the project. One day, we were hanging out outside the studio, trying to come up with a name—we’d been brainstorming for days. I was scrolling through my notes app, looking at old lyrics and ideas, and I came across “My Courtesy.” I asked Jeff what he thought, and he said, “Yeah, we can keep that for now.” And it just stuck. Now I love it—it feels right.

Jeff: There wasn’t a ton of thought behind it, honestly. But it works.

Let’s walk through the EP track by track. It opens with the instrumental “My Courtesy,” then moves into “Mar Vista.” Tell me about that song and what inspired it.
Jeff: That was the first song we made together. Wasn’t that on our first day in the studio?

Rob: Yeah, I remember that day vividly. I said, “We’ve got access to all this gear—why don’t we just try making something for fun?” Jeff came over from Palos Verdes, we hung out at the studio, and we made “Mar Vista” in about eight hours. That was the moment we realized, “Damn, we really work well together.” It was kind of a test, and it clicked.

The sound of “Mar Vista” is a big blend of both our influences—Deftones, Blink-182, Pierce the Veil, early 2000s post-hardcore and punk. All that came together into this alternative rock anthem. It felt really natural.

Jeff: Yeah, it started with a guitar riff and we just kept building on it. We added different sections as we went, and the ending was actually the last part we wrote.

And what about the lyrics—what were you channeling there?
Rob: As corny as it might sound, “Mar Vista” is about progression—being somewhere unfamiliar and trying to find your footing. The lyrics touch on discomfort, being out of place, and searching for a sense of belonging. It’s about moving forward, stepping into new phases of life. There’s definitely some personal stuff woven in too.

Next up is “Boredom Ritual.” What’s your boredom ritual?
Rob: The song’s about stepping outside to clear your head—catching your breath, catching your thoughts. It opens with the line, “I took a walk outside because I felt like blowing smoke.” It’s about that mental reset.

Jeff: Yeah, and we literally recorded ourselves sitting outside and used that audio in the intro.

Rob: We captured cicadas at 4 a.m., pushed around marbles—you can hear it if you listen closely. We ran it through some distortion. It’s really dope.

Then there’s “Back When You Knew Me.” What’s the story behind that one?
Rob: It’s all in the title. “Back When You Knew Me” is about ending up somewhere different—reflecting on a relationship you once had, or someone reflecting on their relationship with you. It’s about change and moving on. It’s definitely the interlude of the album—the acoustic track that gives you a breath of fresh air and breaks things down.

And finally, “Emerald Necklace.” Tell me about that one.
Jeff: That’s the only track where I wrote the lyrics. I had the idea before we even started the band, and I always felt it would fit perfectly on this EP. From the beginning, it felt like a closing track—emotional, powerful, melodic. I love the bells and the distorted lead at the end. It’s one of my favorites. The lyrics were inspired by our time together during the summer program. The Emerald Necklace is actually a park.

Rob: Literally, we can almost see it from here. I’m looking at it now. There are two streets—Emerald Necklace and Lost Emerald Necklace—that branch off near the water. It’s beautiful. I didn’t even realize until months after we recorded the song that you’d written it about that spot.

Jeff: Yeah, and you can hear references to different landmarks and landscapes in the lyrics. It’s all tied to that place.

Has My Courtesy played live yet or toured? Is that something you’re hoping to do?
Rob: We’re working on that right now. The EP is still fresh, and up until now, it’s just been me and Jeff. But now that we’re at Berklee, we’ve got access to some amazing instrumentalists. We’re actually doing arrangements tonight and tomorrow, getting everything ready. We’re also looking into getting on some tour bills this summer and later in the year. We just started rehearsals with a live band and we’re auditioning drummers this week. It’s a new chapter—we’re really excited to start playing live.

Jeff: Yeah, 100%. We’re planning to play as many shows as we can.

Rob: As many as possible. Wherever the tour takes us—I don’t care if it’s in, like, Instanbul or below—I’ll be there.

If My Courtesy could open for any band, past or present, who would it be and why?
Rob: My dream would be Deftones. Blink would be amazing. Pierce the Veil too. But honestly, Foo Fighters or Deftones—that would be the holy grail. If we ever opened for either of them, I could die happy.

Jeff: Yeah, those are great picks. I’d add Mineral to the list—that would be so sick.

If the music of My Courtesy were a donut, what kind would it be and why?
Jeff: I’d say a cronut. There are a lot of layers and different flavor profiles—kind of like our sound. It’s not just one thing.

A lot of your band photos have a cinematic quality. Is that intentional? Are you both into film?
Rob: Definitely. Right now, we’re working with a super low budget—we’re both 19 and just starting out—but we’re aiming for high production value with what we’ve got. I’ve been doing a lot of the editing myself. We’ve had friends help out with photos and visuals. One of my friends has a decent camera setup, and we also worked with someone out in LA.

Jeff: A friend from high school came out and shot some visualizers for our songs.

Rob: Yeah, and we’ve got a little documentary coming out soon.

Jeff: It’s not exactly an interview—more like us talking about the project. That’ll be out soon.

Rob: Hopefully in the next two or three weeks, across all platforms. We’re doing what we can with what we have, but once we’ve got more resources, I’m all in. There’s a lot more to come.

Is there more new music on the way?
Jeff: Absolutely. We’re already working on our next album, aiming for a January release. That’s our deadline. We’ve got a good number of songs in the works already.

Rob: We’re planning some wild stuff. Stay tuned.

Any message for music fans reading this who might want to check you out?
Rob: We’d love to hear any feedback—good or bad. Constructive criticism, opinions, whatever you think of the album. It’s all valid. Jeff and I have talked about this a lot—we just want to find the people who connect with what we’re doing. We hope our music finds the right audience. Even if it’s not your thing, give it a listen and let us know what you think.

Jeff: Yeah, this is our art. It’s what we do. It might not be for everyone, but it’s what we’re here to make. It’s our purpose.

What other bands were you in back in LA? Any names people might recognize?
Jeff: I played in a band called Orion and the Stars. We gigged a lot around Hermosa—St. Rock, if you know it. I’m also a jazz musician, so I played a ton of jazz in high school around Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Redondo. More recently, I played in Jonah Spitz’s band—we did shows at the Whisky, the Woodshed, Corbin Bowl, and a few other spots.

Rob: I was in a band called Evergreen back in early high school. We had a little momentum, but eventually went our separate ways. More recently, I played bass in a local Boston hardcore band called This City Hates You. That was fun, but now I’m fully focused on My Courtesy. This is what we’re all in on now. It’s exciting.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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