Simon O’Connor #

Introduction #

Simon O’Connor, a guitarist who joined the indie rock band Modest Mouse in 2021, became the subject of a social media controversy in late July 2026. A Reddit user in the band’s fan subreddit accused the 42-year-old musician of sending them “an erotic image” and commenting on their “bikini pics,” saying they were 16 when the photos were taken. On July 31, 2026, the band announced on Instagram that O’Connor would not join its upcoming tour, without explaining the reason or clarifying whether he remained a member.

Background Information #

Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by lead singer/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. The band earned critical acclaim for The Lonesome Crowded West (1997) and The Moon & Antarctica (2000) and found mainstream success with Good News for People Who Love Bad News (2004) and its singles “Float On” and “Ocean Breathes Salty.”

O’Connor joined Modest Mouse’s ever-changing lineup on guitar and backing vocals in 2021, having previously toured with MGMT, and first appeared on the band’s eighth studio album, An Eraser and a Maze, released in June 2026. The album was also the first to feature drummer Damon Cox and keyboardist Keith Karman.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation #

On July 26, 2026, a Reddit user in Modest Mouse’s fan subreddit accused O’Connor of sending them “an erotic image” and commenting on their “bikini pics,” stating that they were 16 when the photos were taken. The user attached alleged screenshots of an Instagram DM exchange with a person appearing to be O’Connor, in which messages were sent and deleted, including an erotic meme. According to USA Today, another of the alleged messages contained an apology in which O’Connor reportedly wrote that the user “did blindside me with a gaggle of likes and then very little intro besides bikini pics so we are both to blame.”

Per Deadline, the Reddit user claimed to be 17 and “following Simon for a few years,” recounting an incident that allegedly happened when she was 16: “Late at night I checked stories and I spam liked whatever it was Simon had put on his story. He came into my DMs and sent me an erotic image (to say the least) while giving me the excuse he had been partying or whatever, continuing to message me. My age is the first thing in my bio. I reached out to several people within the indie music fandom and nobody with a platform cared. I think more people should know about this. I’m hesitant to put screenshots here but I do have them!”

A day later, O’Connor responded with his own post in the subreddit, which moderators confirmed was legitimate. He wrote that he “unequivocally” opposes “any sexual behavior towards minors, as a human and a parent,” and said he had mistakenly believed the Reddit user was someone who had been harassing him for some time. “This person creates multiple social media accounts and deletes them… but always posts similar photos that I often recognize from previous 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. I unsent the messages and immediately ceased communication,” he wrote. In the fuller version of the statement reported by Deadline, he wrote that “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: “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.”

Public Reaction and Consequences #

On July 31, 2026, Modest Mouse posted an “upcoming tour update” on Instagram: “Simon O’Connor will not be joining us on the upcoming tour. 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.” The band did not explain the reason behind the move, nor clarify if O’Connor is still a member of the band.

The announcement came days before the tour in support of An Eraser and a Maze, which kicked off August 4, 2026, in Ojai, California, with more than 40 stops across North America scheduled through October 24, including appearances at the Hoochenanny Festival, Shaky Knees Festival, and Alaska State Fair, and a set opening for My Chemical Romance. USA Today reported that it had reached out to Modest Mouse’s representatives for comment.

Current Status #

As of late August 2026, O’Connor remains off Modest Mouse’s touring lineup, with Seth Jabour filling in on guitar; the band’s Wikipedia entry lists his tenure as “2021–present; not touring 2026–present.” The band has not publicly stated whether O’Connor has left the group or is sitting out the tour only, and O’Connor has made no further public comments beyond his initial Reddit response. The tour is scheduled to run through October 24, 2026.

Impact on Their Career/Life #

The allegations, which O’Connor apologized for while disputing the circumstances, cost him his place on the tour supporting An Eraser and a Maze, the first album of his tenure, released barely two months before the band’s announcement.

Modest Mouse’s decades-long history of frequent lineup changes — the group has seen many changes with Brock remaining the sole consistent member — made the immediate consequences ambiguous, and the band’s silence on the matter left O’Connor’s continued membership unresolved.

For O’Connor, the episode attached lasting public scrutiny to his name and raised questions about his future with the band, which the Reddit user said had previously failed to respond to her outreach. Whether he will rejoin Modest Mouse, or whether the band’s statement signaled a permanent separation, remained unclear as of the end of August 2026.