Modest Mouse has removed guitarist Simon O'Connor from its upcoming North American tour following allegations that he sent inappropriate messages to a teen fan. The indie rock band announced Friday that O'Connor, who is in his 40s, would not be joining them on the road, which was set to begin Tuesday in Ojai, California.
"Simon O’Connor will not be joining us on the upcoming tour," the band stated on Instagram. "The good news is that Seth Jabour of Les Savy Fav will be jumping in to play guitar. We look forward to being out there with you all."
On July 26, a Reddit user, who identified as a 17-year-old fan, accused O'Connor of sending an "erotic image" and commenting on their "bikini pics" via Instagram direct message. The user posted screenshots of alleged conversations, stating they were 16 at the time of the interaction and that their date of birth was listed on their Instagram profile.
According to the user, O'Connor initiated the conversation with a sticker and then sent what they described as a sexually explicit meme. After the user suggested the account may have been hacked, O'Connor allegedly replied, "Wish I was hacked just had a party night and looking at everything with one eye ya know... But you did blindside me with a gaggle of likes and then very little intro besides bikini pics so we are both to blame." The user stated the message was deleted shortly after but that they had taken a screenshot. The user also alleged that O'Connor viewed an Instagram Story counting down to their 17th birthday before later messaging "sorry."
O'Connor responded Monday with a statement apologizing to the fan. He explained that he mistook the fan for someone he believed had repeatedly harassed him online using fake accounts. "Throughout my adult life, there has been a person who has popped up from time to time with the intention of, for lack of a better term, messing with me," O'Connor wrote on the Modest Mouse subreddit. "I assumed that this was the same person I had dealt with before and, with poor judgement, I decided to reach out with a tasteless meme, a sticker that read ‘Simon calls your bluff,’ and an attempt to indicate that I recognized the ‘barrage of likes’ and similar photo content from the previous profiles…. Almost a ‘gotcha.’"
He continued, "After a few minutes, I realized that I had made a mistake and this was not the person who I had dealt with before. I unsent the messages and immediately ceased communication." O'Connor added, "I’m genuinely sorry to the person who received those messages. They didn’t deserve to be put in that position, and I’m sorry for the stress and attention this has brought them. I know some people will choose not to believe me, and I understand that. I can’t change what’s happened. All I can do is tell the truth, take responsibility for my mistake, and apologize."
O'Connor also stated that he "unequivocally" opposes "any sexual behavior towards minors."
Modest Mouse did not elaborate on O'Connor's tour absence or his current status with the band in their Friday statement.
O'Connor joined Modest Mouse's touring lineup in 2021. He also performs on the band's latest album, "An Eraser and a Maze," released in June. The band achieved mainstream success with their 2004 hit "Float On" and the platinum-selling album "Good News for People Who Love Bad News."