Modest Mouse has removed guitarist Simon O’Connor from their upcoming tour dates following allegations that he sent inappropriate messages to a minor. The band announced on social media that Seth Jabour of Les Savy Fav will replace O’Connor for the tour. They expressed excitement about performing live despite the recent changes.
The allegations surfaced on Reddit. A 16-year-old female fan claimed that O’Connor sent her an inappropriate image and numerous direct messages after she liked some of his Instagram stories. The fan had indicated her age in her profile handle and clarified her age by mentioning her 17th birthday countdown in the related Instagram story.
O’Connor soon deleted the alleged inappropriate message but continued to engage in conversation, acknowledging that his phone was not hacked. He attributed the incident to a party night, commenting on her likes and bikini pictures. The fan shared screenshots of these interactions.
On the day following the incident, O’Connor addressed the allegations by stating his opposition to sexual behavior toward minors. He mentioned encountering a person over time who repeatedly interacted with him through different social media accounts and assumed this familiar type of interaction when sending the messages. Upon realizing his mistake, he deleted the messages and ceased communication.
O’Connor apologized for the incident, expressing regret that the recipient endured stress and unwanted attention. He acknowledged skepticism regarding his story and focused on accepting responsibility and apologizing.
Simon O’Connor had been part of Modest Mouse for five years, previously touring with MGMT. He also contributed to Modest Mouse’s album titled “An Eraser and a Maze.”
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