An Independent Type Of Person

Laszlo Hegedus has served the one-year non-compete term in his Live Nation contract and reopened Multimedia Ltd. in Budapest, Hungary.

He’s spent the year working with Multimedia S&L, his production company that supplies sound and lights to Live Nation and other promoters. He announced his return to promoting live entertainment Jan. 20.

Hegedus split from Live Nation at the beginning of 2008, apparently because of differences of opinion concerning strategy.

“I have a gagging order in my contract and there’s not much that I can say about things but, as much as I respect Live Nation and appreciate what I have learned since being with the company, I’m an independent type of person,” he told Pollstar at the time. “I was a good soldier and did as I was told. There are no bad feelings.”

Live Nation Hungary president Tim Dowdall told Pollstar it was mutual.

“Lazlo was my partner for a quarter of a century and he taught me an awful lot,” Dowdall said. “I wish him all the best in his new venture and feel sure we’ll find ways to cooperate.”

Hegedus started Multimedia in Budapest in 1978 but began taking a less active personal role in the Balkan live music market in the early ’90s.

Dowdall, who joined the company in ’82, stepped up to promote the international acts. Hegedus, who sold half of his Multimedia Records to Polygram in ’93 and the rest in ’98, was able to concentrate on his job as managing director of what had become Universal Music in Hungary.

In 2003, Universal’s European shakeup led to Hegedus stepping aside and becoming “non-executive president.”
“I believe the company wants to cut the average age of the staff, and with it my salary,” he said at the time, although the remark was more humorous than rueful.

That left more time for the live music business, although most of the major agents had now come to look at Dowdall as the company figurehead as far as touring international acts was concerned.

About six months later, Michael Rapino brought Multimedia, the Czech Republic’s Interkoncerts and Poland’s Odyssey into the Clear Channel fold.

The new setup saw Dowdall sourcing the international talent while Hegedus took care of promoting their Hungarian shows.

Serge Grimaux and Robert Porkert of Interkoncerts handled the Czech shows and Steve Todd’s Interkoncerts looked after Poland.

Multimedia can be reached at +3618011021 and [email protected].