The Moonchildren were formed in 1986 by visual artist and singer-songwriter Oliver Fauser and his childhood friend Wolfram Gumbert, somewhere deep in the Black Forest. Other musicians came and went, depending on projects and plans. In 1987, the two moved to New York City to try their luck in the vibrant club scene. When Wolfram eventually left, The Moonchildren became essentially a one-man project led by Oliver – a role he would fully embrace in the decades to follow.
Over the years, Oliver lived in Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Milan, Hamburg, and Cologne. In the early 1990s, he became a single father of two boys and eventually returned to his home region in the Black Forest, where he continued to record, write, and build the foundations of his artistic independence.
Throughout this time, he collaborated with various musicians, including drummer Martin Claas (Joey Belladonna, Evereve) and guitarist Patrick Hanemann (Scorzonera, Pity Hole). They were joined by bassplayer Oliver Quinten (Evereve, Surrender The Crown). Together they worked on the 2016 album Feel – a project that combined Oliver’s music with his visual art, released as a limited “Art & Music Box Deluxe,” each copy accompanied by an original artwork.
While his visual art career flourished with exhibitions in Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy, Tokyo, and beyond, the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020/21 abruptly halted this momentum. It was during this challenging period, while caring for his mother who suffered from dementia, that Oliver returned to his musical roots. The first song he wrote – the country-pop song My Darling One – reignited the spark that would lead to a new creative chapter.
Personal loss marked these years: the death of his mother, followed by his father only six months later, as well as other family tragedies. Yet from this grief came a source of new strength. Selling his long-time home, embarking on the Camino pilgrimage in Portugal and Spain, and later traveling through Africa and across South America with his girlfriend became transformative experiences. These journeys, infused with love, loss, and renewal, shaped the sound and spirit of his new music.
The result is Grace (2024), co-produced with longtime engineer Mario Melle. The album distills Oliver’s decades of songwriting into a deeply personal work. With guest musicians enriching the arrangements, Grace stands as the most expansive Moonchildren release yet, but still bears the unmistakable mark of Oliver Fauser: a one-man band who writes, plays, sings, records, produces, films, designs, and releases everything through his own label, MotherMoon Recordings.
Today, Oliver lives in a small mountain village in the Black Forest with his partner and muse Nadine. He continues to write new songs, record, and film videos, carrying The Moonchildren forward as an uncompromising, independent force in music.
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