Veljko Despot

Veljko Despot (born March 4, 1948) is Croatian music journalist and record business entrepreneur.

He is a well-known name from Croatia in music and entertainment industry. A record business entrepreneur, product manager, music producer and record company executive, a journalist. He has been involved in all aspects of the music industry as top-level manager-director, owner of a record label, music journalist, reporter, chief editor, radio and TV program director.

Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, since 1950 lives in Zagreb. Croat. Family ties in Dalmatia, Zagreb and Moscow. Father Žarko is born 1921 in Zaostrog, Croatia, a respectful businessman in Zagreb. Mother Mirjana is born 1925 in Moscow, a violoncellist graduated in Moscow and in Zagreb Conservatory (studying under Antonio Janigro, extraaordinary Italian cellist), later as gifted teacher based in Zagreb she educated many Croatian cellists.

At age of 18 Veljko Despot started his career in beginning of 1967 in local press ("Plavi vjesnik") reporting from London on swinging sixties and trilling pop and rock scene. He was the first journalist from former Yugoslavia who specializes in covering international popular music. The first and only East European journalist who has interviewed The Beatles. This interview was published as one of his first articles, in "Plavi vjesnik" (April 17, 1967).

In late sixties writes in "Plavi vjesnik", "Arena", "Studio" and "Vjesnik", major Croatian papers. Had published interviews with many big artists, such as Pink Floyd, The Hollies, Bee Gees, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Marc Bolan etc.

Signed in 1967 as a producer by the biggest Yugoslav record label Jugoton, a first record producer agreement in Yugoslav recording industry. Produces in 1967 an EP release for famous Slovenian rock group Kameleoni. In 1968 produces their soundtrack for a movie "Sončni krik" ("Sunny Cry") by Boštjan Hladnik, legendary Slovenian film director.

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