Modest Mouse Parts Ways With Guitarist Over DM Controversy
WHO:
Deadline - Modest Mouse, guitarist Simon O’Connor, Seth Jabour, Les Savy Fav
NY Post - An anonymous user who shared the allegations
WHAT:
Fox News - The band announced O'Connor was no longer part of the tour in a post shared on social media last week.
Fox News - The accuser claimed that O'Connor sent her an "erotic image," followed by a slew of direct messages after she liked some of the musician's Instagram stories.
Fox News - The accuser indicated her age on her handle at the time, stating, "For context the story I had that he viewed was my 17th birthday countdown and it said that very clearly."
Page Six - A moderator for the subreddit forum O’Connor posted in confirmed that the poster was actually O’Connor.
Fox News - Simon O'Connor stated, "I unequivocally oppose any sexual behavior towards minors, as a human and a parent it disgusts me."
Fox News - O'Connor described the incident as a mistake, saying, "I assumed I was dealing with the same person as before, and with poor judgement, I decided to reach out with a tasteless meme."
Fox News - O'Connor expressed regret, stating, "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."
TMZ - Simon O'Connor allegedly sent an explicit image to an underage fan and mentioned that a night of partying and her bikini pictures contributed to the exchange.
Deadline - Modest Mouse announced they have cut ties with guitarist Simon O’Connor due to allegations of sending inappropriate DMs to a minor.
Deadline - Seth Jabour will join Modest Mouse on their upcoming tour.
NY Post - The anonymous user claimed that Simon O’Connor sent inappropriate messages to her days before her 17th birthday.
WHERE:
Deadline - The tour for Modest Mouse will kick off in Ojai, California.
WHEN:
Deadline - The tour accompanying their eighth studio album "An Eraser and a Maze" is set to begin on "Tuesday, Aug. 4".
WHY:
Deadline - The decision to part ways with Simon O’Connor was made following accusations of inappropriate behavior.
HOW:
NY Post - The allegations were shared through a Reddit post, where the anonymous user revealed the Instagram DMs allegedly sent by O’Connor.
(UPDATED August 3, 2026 05:33 UTC)
The band has announced that O'Connor is no longer part of their tour, following allegations made by an accuser who claimed he sent her an "erotic image" along with numerous direct messages after she engaged with his Instagram stories. The accuser noted that her age was clearly indicated on her social media handle, mentioning that the story O'Connor viewed was a countdown to her 17th birthday. Additionally, a moderator from the subreddit forum where O'Connor posted has confirmed that the account in question indeed belonged to him.
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(UPDATED August 3, 2026 01:24 UTC)
Simon O'Connor, speaking on Fox News, expressed his strong opposition to any sexual behavior towards minors, stating it disgusts him as both a human and a parent. He described a recent incident as a mistake, admitting that he reached out with a tasteless meme due to poor judgment, mistakenly thinking he was dealing with the same person as before. O'Connor also conveyed his genuine regret, apologizing to the recipient of those messages for the stress and attention the situation has caused them.
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(UPDATED August 2, 2026 23:50 UTC)
Simon O'Connor is facing serious allegations after reportedly sending an explicit image to an underage fan. According to TMZ, he mentioned that a night of partying and the fan's bikini pictures were part of the context for this exchange. The situation has raised significant concerns regarding the interactions between celebrities and their younger fans.
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(UPDATED August 2, 2026 20:07 UTC)
Modest Mouse has announced they are parting ways with guitarist Simon O’Connor due to allegations of sending inappropriate messages to a minor, with the claims surfacing from an anonymous user on Reddit. Seth Jabour will be stepping in to join the band on their upcoming tour, which is set to kick off in Ojai, California, on Tuesday, Aug. 4, in support of their eighth studio album, "An Eraser and a Maze." The allegations allege that O’Connor sent inappropriate DMs just days before the individual’s 17th birthday.