I'll be coming home to Great Neck this Friday, partly because it's just too darn cold here in Montreal, but mostly because I will have no more exams for the semester, and I have a mom, dad, little brother, and special guest family from great distances, who all want to see me. (Don't worry, friends, I didn't forget about you, but I am a family man. So even though my family comes first, you guys are a close second.)
While I'm here, I also wanted to talk about a giant milestone that will take place during my stay in Great Neck. You guessed it, the unveiling of my music Facebook page, to supplement the MySpace and the YouTube. I'll launch it the 23rd, which was chosen because it is the last 'New Music Tuesday' before Christmas 2008. (By the way, I plan on keeping the name 'Mike Engle, 'Vibratuoso'' for the Facebook page, so if the name matches up, and you see a couple of familiar pictures, it's probably the real deal, maintained by Yours Truly, and not a poser page.)
Now onto your questions, that I'm sure you would asked if I didn't ask them for you.
'What's the point?'
While I will keep my MySpace for musical contact, interaction, and networking (and because my business cards have the MySpace address on them), a lot of my friends, who overwhelmingly prefer Facebook, want to follow my career. So that's why I'm doing it.
'What's the difference?'
I'll probably use fewer words on Facebook, but I'll make up for it in exclusive videos. (Exclusive=won't be on MySpace, and would otherwise be too long or big for YouTube.) I'm generally proud of my music videos, and they deserve better in the 'Views' column.  If Facebook increases my visual exposure, then I'm all for it. (Insert gratuitous 'You can't see his handsome face in a handsome suit without the video' comment here.)  Finally, I'll be running the blog from MySpace, and exporting automatically from MySpace to Facebook. It's easier that way.
'What's good on your Facebook page?'
I'll have a complete concert (from 3 Nov 2008, McGill's Tanna Hall, with my quintet) waiting for you. (Sorry, audio only.) I also plan, as my first Facebook-exclusive video clips, to post a different concert (from 7 Oct 2008, Upstairs, Montreal, same quintet). I don't want to spoil my own surprise (so I'm not linking), but of the five songs, I know of three clips that already exist on YouTube. (Audio OK, but video probably not as good as I have to offer. Happy hunting.)
'I want to be the first to know when the Facebook page is live. What do I do?'
Three options. (1) On the 23rd, search for a 'Vibratuoso' on Facebook until you see a 'Mike Engle, 'Vibratuoso,'' and then click 'Become a Fan.' (2) Read my MySpace bio, read how to find my personal Facebook page, and send me a note. (3) On the 23rd, repeatedly refresh my MySpace page until a never-before-seen link shows up in my bio. That's probably the one.
Oh, and PS: After the 23rd, no personal Facebook friend requesting, PLEASE!  If you like my music, and you want to follow my MySpace, music Facebook, and YouTube pages, I'd be honored.  And those are the places to do so.  Not my personal Facebook.  (Though if I actually meet you in person, friend requesting is always fair game.)
In the context of this particular blog post, 'Quintet' refers to Mike Engle, vibraphone; Colin Edgar, tenor saxophone; James Colwell, guitar; James Meger, bass; Dan Garmon, drums.