Overview
- On Friday, July 31 Modest Mouse announced that Simon O’Connor will not join the upcoming North American tour and that Les Savy Fav guitarist Seth Jabour will fill in.
- A Reddit user published screenshots alleging O’Connor sent sexually explicit Instagram messages to them when they were 16, including an erotic image.
- O’Connor posted an apology on the Modest Mouse subreddit saying he opposed sexual behavior toward minors, that he mistook the account for a known troll, and that he unsent the messages and ceased contact.
- The band’s statement did not confirm whether O’Connor has been permanently removed, and the change affects imminent shows including the tour kickoff on Aug. 4 and the Outside Lands festival date.
- O’Connor joined Modest Mouse in 2021 and appears on the June album An Eraser and a Maze, and the incident has prompted swift lineup adjustments and heightened scrutiny of artist conduct before major tours.