The band removed O’Connor after a 17-year-old fan posted screenshots of an Instagram exchange that included a sexually explicit meme, and replaced him with Seth Jabour of Les Savy Fav.
Modest Mouse have dropped guitarist Simon O’Connor from their upcoming tour dates. The band announced the change via Instagram, naming Seth Jabour of Les Savy Fav as his replacement. O’Connor had been a touring member since 2021. No further statement was given, and representatives for Modest Mouse did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The decision follows the circulation of screenshots on the r/ModestMouse subreddit earlier this week, in which a 17-year-old fan shared a direct message exchange with O’Connor. The messages, from when the fan says they were 16 and had their birth date visible on their Instagram bio, included a sexually explicit meme of a naked man. O’Connor later posted an apology on Reddit, saying he had mistaken the fan for a frequent troll and sent the message as “almost a ‘gotcha.’” He added: “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.”
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The collective voice behind ROMBO Magazine’s news, reviews, features, and cultural coverage.
