Early years
During Lindenberg’s childhood he developed a feel for rhythm. Taking every opportunity to drum, Lindenberg used petrol cans in lieu of a drum kit. Later he obtained his first real drum kit and in 1962 he began a period of journeying in order to learn his craft. His wandering took him to northern Germany and
Gunter Hampel after which he travelled to France, Tripoli and onwards to the Music Academy at
Münster. 1968 found Lindenberg in
Hamburg where he decided against a career at sea and joined a troupe of folk musicians. In 1969 he was the drummer for
The City Preachers, Germany’s first folk-rock-band.
In October 1983, the West German rock star was surprisingly permitted to perform in concert at the
Palast der Republik in
East Germany. At the concert, Lindenberg sang one of his best-known songs (adapting the tune of "
Chattanooga Choo Choo"), "Sonderzug nach
Pankow" ("Special Train To Pankow"), which satirized East German leader
Erich Honecker, and which he had been asked not to play. The East German government immediately revoked his permission to complete his scheduled East German concert tour, after he had spent months begging them for permission to perform there.
Personality
Udo Lindenberg is a political person. He professes
social democratic beliefs and appeared at the birthday party of former German Federal Chancellor
Gerhard Schröder. Lindenberg has engaged in
activism including the raising of funds for aid to Africa and the writing of a song against the
Berlin Wall. In 2000 he founded the project Rock Against Right-Wing Violence.
Lindenberg has worked collaboratively with various local and international artists (
Eric Burdon,
Helen Schneider,
David Bowie,
Keith Forsey,
Gianna Nannini, and
Nena) on a number of projects. He currently lives in Hamburg in the Hotel Atlantic (for several years now). His raw voice is the result of too much alcohol and cigarettes. In 1989 he survived a heart attack.
Singles and albums in the charts
below =
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Singles
| Year
| Single
| D
| A
| CH
|
| 1981
| Wozu sind Kriege da?
1
| 18
| —
| —
|
| 1983
| Sonderzug nach Pankow
| 5
| 3
| —
|
| 1987
| Horizont
| 18
| —
| —
|
| 1987
| Der Generalsekretär
| 60
| —
| —
|
| 1988
| Ich lieb' dich überhaupt nicht mehr
| 33
| 3
| —
|
| 1989
| Airport (Dich wiederseh'n ...)
| 49
| —
| —
|
| 1991
| Ein Herz kann man nicht reparieren
| 29
| —
| —
|
| 1991
| Geh nicht weg
| 90
| —
| —
|
| 1991
| Club der Millionäre
| 39
| —
| —
|
| 1992
| Panik-Panther
| 84
| —
| —
|
| 1999
| You Can't Run Away
2
| 74
| —
| —
|
| 2003
| Wunder geschehen
3
| 9
| —
| —
|
| 2005
| Hallo Angie, das merkel ich mir
| 100
| —
| —
|
| 2008
| Wenn du Durchhängst
| 10
| 41
| 67
|
D — Germany, A — Austria, CH — Switzerland
1Udo Lindenberg & Pascal
2Freundeskreis feat. Udo Lindenberg
3Nena & Friends (Udo Lindenberg,
Sasha,
Ben, ...)
Albums
| Year
| Album
| D
| A
| CH
|
| 1971
| Lindenberg
| —
| —
| —
|
| 1972
| Daumen im Wind
| —
| —
| —
|
| 1973
| Alles klar auf der Andrea Doria
1
| 23
| —
| —
|
| 1974
| Ball Pompös
1
| 3
| —
| —
|
| 1975
| Votan Wahnwitz
1
| 3
| —
| —
|
| 1976
| Galaxo Gang
1
| 4
| —
| —
|
| 1976
| Sister King Kong
1
| 8
| —
| —
|
| 1976
| Panik Udo
1
| 34
| —
| —
|
| 1977
| Panische Nächte
1
| 31
| —
| —
|
| 1978
| Lindenbergs Rock-Revue
1
| 15
| —
| —
|
| 1979
| Dröhnland-Symphonie
1
| 15
| —
| —
|
| 1979
| Livehaftig
1
| 15
| —
| —
|
| 1979
| Der Detektiv
1
| 22
| —
| —
|
| 1980
| Panische Zeiten
1
| 12
| —
| —
|
| 1980
| Meine Panik
1
| 17
| —
| —
|
| 1981
| Udopia
1
| 5
| —
| —
|
| 1982
| Keule
1
| 9
| —
| —
|
| 1982
| Intensivstationen
1
| 16
| —
| —
|
| 1983
| Odyssee
1
| 3
| 8
| —
|
| 1983
| Lindstärke 10
1
| 21
| —
| —
|
| 1984
| Götterhämmerung
1
| 3
| —
| 10
|
| 1985
| Sündenknall
1
| 11
| —
| 22
|
| 1985
| Radio Eriwahn präsentiert
1
| 17
| —
| —
|
| 1987
| Feuerland
1
| 16
| —
| —
|
| 1987
| Phönix
| 26
| —
| —
|
| 1988
| Gänsehaut
| 5
| 7
| —
|
| 1988
| Hermine
| 26
| —
| —
|
| 1988
| Casa Nova
| 32
| —
| —
|
| 1991
| Ich will dich haben
| —
| —
| 23
|
| 1992
| Gustav
| 69
| —
| —
|
| 1992
| Unter die Haut
| 41
| —
| —
|
| 1992
| Panik-Panther
| 24
| —
| —
|
| 1993
| Benjamin
| 49
| —
| —
|
| 1995
| Kosmos
| 44
| —
| —
|
| 1996
| Und ewig rauscht die Linde
| 39
| —
| —
|
| 1997
| Belcanto
2
| 29
| —
| —
|
| 1998
| Zeitmaschine
| 49
| —
| —
|
| 2000
| Der Exzessor
| 40
| —
| —
|
| 2001
| Ich schwöre - Das volle Programm
| 80
| —
| —
|
| 2001
| Balladen
| 91
| —
| —
|
| 2002
| Atlantic Affairs
| 76
| —
| —
|
| 2003
| Der Panikpräsident
| 18
| —
| —
|
| 2005
| Absolut
| 65
| —
| —
|
| 2008
| Stark wie zwei
| 1
| 12
| 10
|
D — Germany, A — Austria, CH — Switzerland
1 Udo Lindenberg & Panikorchester
2 Udo Lindenberg & Das Deutsche Filmorchester Babelsberg