Modest Mouse announced on July 31 that guitarist Simon O'Connor will not appear on the band's upcoming North American tour, following allegations that he sent inappropriate social media messages to a minor. The band shared the news in an Instagram post captioned "Upcoming tour update" on Friday, Billboard reported.

Seth Jabour of Les Savy Fav will step in as guitarist for the tour, which begins August 4 at Libbey Bowl in Ojai, California, and wraps October 24 in Sacramento. The run supports Modest Mouse's eighth studio album, An Eraser and a Maze, released in June. O'Connor joined the band in 2021.

The band did not provide further details about O'Connor's status beyond the tour or indicate whether he remains a member of Modest Mouse.

The allegations surfaced in late July, when a Reddit user identifying themselves as 17 years old accused O'Connor of sending them "an erotic image" and commenting on their "bikini pics." The user said they were 16 when the referenced photos were taken, according to Billboard. The Seattle Times reported that the inappropriate messages were sent on Instagram.

O'Connor responded on Reddit. He wrote that he "unequivocally" opposes "any sexual behaviour towards minors," and offered an explanation for the exchange. He claimed he mistakenly believed the Reddit user was someone who had repeatedly created fake social media accounts to troll him. According to O'Connor, he sent a "tasteless meme" and a sticker reading "Simon calls your bluff," then unsent the messages and ceased communication after realising the recipient was not the person he had previously dealt with, Billboard reported.

A Facebook post from Noisey, undated, reported that Modest Mouse's remaining members said the decision to sideline O'Connor came after allegations that he also stole band funds and shared private images without consent. Billboard's August 1 report, the most recently dated source, does not reference those additional allegations.

The allegations and O'Connor's response remain just that — allegations and a response. No criminal charges have been reported in connection with the claims.

For fans holding tickets, the tour proceeds as scheduled with Jabour on guitar. Les Savy Fav, the art-punk band Jabour has played in since the late 1990s, shares enough of Modest Mouse's Pacific Northwest indie-rock orbit that the substitution lands as a practical fix rather than a mystery pick.