Udo Lindenberg turns eighty. Sounds incredible, but it's true. In "Udo Fröhliche", Udo friend and chronicler Benjamin von Stuckrad-Barre ("Panikherz") traces eight decades of Udo's universe, spelling out the Lindenberg alphabet from alcohol to cello and wanderlust, roller skates, language, hotel and hat to cigar.

Biographical short stories about a man who changed the Federal Republic of Germany, its society, its language and thus its way of thinking through his music, but above all through his mercilessly unpretentious humanity. Benjamin von Stuckrad-Barre tells the story of a man who became an event and a German institution from a very close, knowledgeable, witty and astute perspective. Of course, it is also about the rise, fall and resurrection - after all, Lindenberg's life is a legendary hero's journey.

Benjamin von Stuckrad-Barre's book was first published in 2016 as a richly illustrated magazine by the Axel Springer publishing group. The magazine was sold out after just a few weeks. With the permission of Springer Verlag, the author has reviewed and revised the book for the new edition for Udo Lindenberg's 80th birthday and recorded it as an audiobook for the first time.

"Like any thinking person, Udo may have a problem with age. But you also have to realise: Age has a problem with Udo. Somehow it can't get hold of him. Will the voucher for the trip to the moon still be valid? Udo would be ready now." (From the chapter "Birthday")