Geeez, I should only take my own advice. Though many might think I have the gift of gab, I'm a TOTAL failure at the industry schmooze - until I figured it out.

Problem with me was I didn't have the balls to go to an industry meet and great and look for opportunities. Funny, I had a friend of mine that said "dude, it's like going to a party and look for girls". Me thinks not, but he's farther than me in the networking game so must be true.

But now it's a different scene. Before it was about meeting people with power to do things like advance a career, get a demo to an A&R guy or meet radio promoters.

Today it's about power broking deals and connections with all the moving parts that the new music industry plays with including outside investors.

But today the BS is thick and the only way things get done is by putting down the business hat at a networking event and be real. That was the secret to my success. I never told anyone what I did until the asked me first. That's because I talked to them about everything except music first.