Modest Mouse has removed guitarist Simon O’Connor from its upcoming tour dates following accusations of inappropriate communication with a minor. O’Connor, who joined the band in 2021, will no longer participate in the tour. The band announced the decision on social media and confirmed that Seth Jabour from Les Savy Fav will be taking over the guitar duties. They expressed their eagerness to see their fans during the tour.
A post on Reddit by a 16-year-old fan included screenshots and alleged that O’Connor sent an ‘erotic image’ along with direct messages after acknowledging her Instagram stories. The fan highlighted her age on her profile, noting that O’Connor interacted with her birthday countdown story, which explicitly mentioned her age.
O’Connor allegedly deleted the initial message and admitted that his phone wasn’t hacked, stating that he had been partying and engaging with likes without much thought. In further communication, he seemed to blame both parties by referencing the likes and bikini pictures, leading to deleted messages and a comment of ‘I did it again.’
In response to the controversy, O’Connor addressed the incident, stating his opposition to any sexual behavior towards minors. He defended his actions, claiming that he mistakenly assumed he was interacting with a familiar but troublesome social media account. He acknowledged his poor judgment, apologized, and unsent the messages once realizing his error. He expressed regret for causing stress and attention to the accuser.
O’Connor recognizes that some people may choose not to believe his explanation but emphasized his intention to take responsibility and apologize for his mistake. Before joining Modest Mouse, O’Connor was associated with MGMT and contributed to the band’s latest album, ‘An Eraser and a Maze.’