{"id":25643,"date":"2026-08-02T23:44:56","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T18:44:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=25643"},"modified":"2026-08-02T23:44:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T18:44:56","slug":"modest-mouse-guitarist-simon-oconnor-speaks-out-after-being-kicked-off-bands-tour-for-messaging-minor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=25643","title":{"rendered":"Modest Mouse guitarist Simon O&#8217;Connor speaks out after being kicked off band&#8217;s tour for messaging minor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/wp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F3%2F2026%2F08%2F136280317.jpg?quality%3D90%26strip%3Dall\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Modest Mouse guitarist Simon O\u2019Connor addressed allegations that he<a href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2026\/08\/02\/celebrity-news\/see-the-inappropriate-messages-modest-mouse-guitarist-simon-oconnor-sent-to-underage-fan\/\"> sent inappropriate text messages <\/a>to an underage fan before being <a href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2026\/08\/02\/entertainment\/modest-mouse-boots-guitarist-simon-oconnor-from-tour-after-allegations-he-sent-inappropriate-messages-to-minor\/\">booted from the band.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cFirstly, I would like to just state that I unequivocally oppose any sexual behavior towards minors, as a human and a parent, it disgusts me,\u201d the musician, who is in his 40s, wrote in a Reddit post last week, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/music-news\/modest-mouse-replaces-guitarist-simon-oconnor-allegations-1236307608\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">per Billboard.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThroughout my adult life, there has been a person who has popped up from time to time with the intention of, for lack of a better term, messing with me,\u201d he continued. \u201cThis person creates multiple social media accounts and deletes them \u2026 but always posts similar photos that I often recognize from previous accounts.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Modest Mouse guitarist Simon O\u2019Connor (seen above) spoke out after he was accused of sending inappropriate text messages to a minor. <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>The rocker, who is in his 40s, wrote a lengthy statement via Reddit last week, per Billboard. (Seen here: O\u2019Connor performing in Utah on May 16, 2026.) <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>O\u2019Connor explained that one night he allegedly saw a \u201csimilar profile\u201d was \u201cliking\u201d his posts and he assumed it was the \u201csame person.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith poor judgement, I decided to reach out with a tasteless meme, a sticker that read \u201cSimon calls your bluff,\u201d and an attempt to indicate that I recognized the \u201cbarrage of likes\u201d and similar photo content from the previous profiles,\u201d he wrote. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlmost a \u2018gotcha.\u2019 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>\u201cFirstly, I would like to just state that I unequivocally oppose any sexual behavior towards minors, as a human and a parent, it disgusts me,\u201d he stated. (Seen here: O\u2019Connor performing in Florida in 2021.) <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images for Audacy<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>O\u2019Connor (seen here) explained that from time to time, there is an Instagram user who pops up under different profiles. <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>O\u2019Connor took responsibility for his actions, claiming that he was \u201cgenuinely sorry to the person who received those messages.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey didn\u2019t deserve to be put in that position, and I\u2019m sorry for the stress and attention this has brought them,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know some people will choose not to believe me, and I understand that. I can\u2019t change what\u2019s happened. All I can do is tell the truth, take responsibility for my mistake, and apologize,\u201d O\u2019Connor concluded.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>\u201cThis person creates multiple social media accounts and deletes them \u2026 but always posts similar photos that I often recognize from previous accounts,\u201d O\u2019Connor (seen here) added. <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>One night, O\u2019Connor was online when he saw a similar profile interacting with him and thought it was the same person. (Seen here L-R: Simon O\u2019Connor, Isaac Brock and Russell Higbee of Modest Mouse.) <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"single__inline-module inline-module inline-module--newsletter aligncenter inline-module--nypostbusinessunit aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-newsletter\" data-source-unit=\"Inline Newsletter Module Page Six Daily\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__inner\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__title-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__unsubmitted-title-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWant more celebrity and pop culture news?\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"inline-module__cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with Page Six Daily.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A moderator for the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/ModestMouse\/comments\/1v83b86\/hey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> subreddit forum<\/a> O\u2019Connor posted in commented that they were able to confirm the poster was actually O\u2019Connor.<\/p>\n<p>A rep for O\u2019Connor wasn\u2019t immediately available to Page Six for comment.<\/p>\n<p>O\u2019Connor spoke out after a Reddit user claimed they were a 17-year-old fan who had received \u201can erotic image\u201d from the rocker, and accused him of commenting on their bikini pictures.<\/p>\n<p>The teen claimed the encounters occurred when she was 16, and shared screenshots of their alleged conversations.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>\u201cWith poor judgement, I decided to reach out with a tasteless meme, a sticker that read \u201cSimon calls your bluff,\u201d O\u2019Connor (photographed above) added. <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>O\u2019Connor was booted from Modest Mouse\u2019s tour on Friday. <span class=\"credit\">Instagram\/@modestmouse<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Modest Mouse announced Friday that O\u2019Connor would not be joining them for their forthcoming North American tour, which kicks off Tuesday in Ojai, California.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSimon O\u2019Connor will not be joining us on the upcoming tour,\u201d\u00a0the musicians announced in an Instagram statement Friday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Modest Mouse guitarist Simon O\u2019Connor addressed allegations that he sent inappropriate text messages to an underage fan before being booted from the band. \u201cFirstly, I would like to just state that I unequivocally oppose any sexual behavior towards minors, as a human and a parent, it disgusts me,\u201d the musician, who is in his 40s,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25644,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/08\/136280317.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25643","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pics-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25643","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25643"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25643\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25643"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25643"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25643"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}