# Modest Mouse guitarist Simon O’Connor responds to allegations of sending inappropriate messages to a minor

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/modest-mouse-guitarist-simon-oconnor-responds-to-allegations-of-sending-inappropriate-messages-to-a-minor/
- Published: 2026-07-28T10:03:02+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-28T16:13:22+00:00
- Original publisher: NME
- Original article: https://www.nme.com/news/music/modest-mouse-guitarist-simon-oconnor-responds-to-allegations-of-sending-inappropriate-messages-to-a-minor-3959385?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=modest-mouse-guitarist-simon-oconnor-responds-to-allegations-of-sending-inappropriate-messages-to-a-minor
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- O'Connor denies deliberately targeting a minor with messages
- Says he mistook fan for a known "trolling" impersonator
- He apologised; no further updates have emerged since

## Summary

Modest Mouse guitarist Simon O'Connor has publicly addressed allegations that he sent inappropriate messages to a minor via Instagram, after screenshots and a first-hand account were shared on Reddit over the weekend. He said he mistook the fan for a different, unrelated person who has repeatedly created and deleted fake social media accounts to "mess with" him over the years, and that after "a long night" he reached out with a "tasteless meme" believing he was confronting this recurring antagoniser, only to realise minutes later he had targeted the wrong person.

The Reddit post that sparked the claims came from a fan who said she was 16, with her age listed in her bio, when she received a suggestive meme and an "erotic image" from O'Connor late one night after liking several of his Instagram stories; he reportedly cited tiredness and partying before unsending some messages. O'Connor said he unsent the messages and stopped contact as soon as he realised his mistake, apologised for the stress caused, and acknowledged some people may not believe his account. He has been a member of Modest Mouse since 2021 and featured on the band's album 'An Eraser And A Maze', released in June 2026; no further developments have followed his statement.

## Coverage

- [NME: Modest Mouse guitarist Simon O’Connor responds to allegations of sending inappropriate messages to a minor](https://www.nme.com/news/music/modest-mouse-guitarist-simon-oconnor-responds-to-allegations-of-sending-inappropriate-messages-to-a-minor-3959385?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=modest-mouse-guitarist-simon-oconnor-responds-to-allegations-of-sending-inappropriate-messages-to-a-minor)
- [Far Out: Modest Mouse guitarist responds to allegations of inappropriate messages to minor](https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/modest-mouse-guitarist-responds-allegations-inappropriate-messages-minor/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.