Modest Mouse dropped guitarist Simon O’Connor from their tour after allegations he sent inappropriate messages to a minor
Modest Mouse enter their first tour in support of a new album with a hole in the lineup and a difficult story trailing behind them. On Friday, July 31, the long-running indie rock band announced that guitarist Simon O’Connor would not join them on their upcoming North American run, which begins Tuesday, August 4 in Ojai, California. The decision followed allegations that O’Connor sent inappropriate messages to a minor on social media, and it arrives at the exact moment the band should be celebrating An Eraser and a Maze, their eighth studio album and first independent release in over two decades.
The band kept its statement brief. “Simon O’Connor will not be joining us on the upcoming tour,” Modest Mouse wrote 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.” A representative for the band referred Rolling Stone to that post and declined to comment further, leaving open the question of whether O’Connor’s absence is temporary or permanent.
How the Allegations Surfaced
The claims first appeared on the r/ModestMouse subreddit, where a 17-year-old Reddit user alleged that O’Connor had sent them an erotic image and commented on their bikini photos, adding that they were 16 when the photos in question were taken. Screenshots posted alongside the account described an exchange that allegedly began with a sticker reading “Simon calls your bluff.” The nature of the allegations, involving a minor, is what pushed this from an internal band matter into a public reckoning within hours.
O’Connor responded in a lengthy post of his own, apologizing while framing the incident as a case of mistaken identity. He wrote that he believed he was interacting with an online troll who had targeted him before across multiple accounts. “After a few minutes, I realized that I had made a mistake and this was not the person who I had dealt with before,” he wrote.
I unsent the messages and immediately ceased communication.” He continued, “I’m genuinely sorry to the person who received those messages. They didn’t deserve to be put in that position.” He acknowledged that some people would not believe him, adding that all he could do was “tell the truth, take responsibility for my mistake, and apologize”
Despite that explanation, Modest Mouse moved quickly to remove him from the run. Fans replying to the band’s Instagram announcement were largely supportive of the decision, a notable detail in an era when fan bases often splinter over how artists handle misconduct allegations within their ranks.
A Complicated Moment for the Band
The timing cuts against what should be a landmark chapter. O’Connor joined Modest Mouse in 2021 and plays on An Eraser and a Maze, released June 5 via Glacial Pace, the band’s first record outside its long Epic Records tenure. He is one of three newer members, alongside drummer Damon Cox and keyboardist Keith Karman, who helped shape the album’s sound. Beyond Modest Mouse, O’Connor has also served as a touring bassist for MGMT, giving him a foothold across the indie world that makes his sudden exit more conspicuous.
Stepping in is Seth Jabour, best known for his work in the beloved New York art-punk band Les Savy Fav. It is a fitting emergency hire, a musician steeped in the same scene, capable of learning a catalog this deep on short notice. For frontman Isaac Brock, who has steered Modest Mouse through more than three decades of lineup changes since the band formed in Issaquah, Washington in 1993, absorbing another shift is not new territory. Absorbing one under these circumstances is another matter.
The band will now carry An Eraser and a Maze across the country under a shadow it did not choose to headline. What happens to O’Connor beyond this tour remains unresolved.
This piece touches on a sensitive subject. All allegations described here are unproven, and O’Connor has publicly denied wrongdoing.
