Legendary rock band Nirvana’s sophomore album Nevermind launched it to superstardom, establishing their then lead singer, late Kurt Cobain as one of the most influential musicians of all time. Not only did the Nevermind feature some of the band’s most iconic tracks, its album artwork also became synonymous to the band’s popularity. The album artwork featured a naked baby trying to grab a one dollar bill underwater. However, now, the person who featured in the photograph as a baby is suing the band for Child Pornography and Sexual Exploitation.
Spencer Elden, who is now 30, has sued the surviving members of Nirvana, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, as well as Kurt Cobain’s estate for alleged Child Pornography. Rockstar and actress Courtney Love, along with , Guy Oseary, and Heather Parry are being sued as well as they oversee Cobain’s estate.
The lawsuit filed by Elden’s lawyer states that a “series of sexually graphic nude photographs of Spencer” were clicked to ensure “the album cover would trigger a visceral sexual response from the viewer.” It further states that as a four month-old infant was thrown under water by the photographer and clicked “in poses highlighting and emphasizing Spencer’s exposed genitals.” It said that the dollar bill in front of the baby made Elden look like a “sex worker.”
He is seeking $150,000 (Rs 1.11 crore) in damages from each of the defendants, plus legal costs, and alleges the defendants “knowingly produced, possessed, and advertised commercial child pornography.”
The lawsuit further states that Elden, who is now a model and painter, has suffered psychological damage which has lasted him a lifetime. “The permanent harm he has proximately suffered includes but is not limited to extreme and permanent emotional distress with physical manifestations, interference with his normal development and educational progress, lifelong loss of income earning capacity, loss of past and future wages, past and future expenses for medical and psychological treatment, loss of enjoyment of life, and other losses to be described and proven at trial of this matter,” the lawsuit states.
It further stated that no authorization was given by Elden or his guardians for using the image. The lawsuit says that his guardians never signed documents “authorizing the use of any images of Spencer or of his likeness, and certainly not of commercial child pornography depicting him.”
Meanwhile, Elden has also been a part of four other re-enactments of the cover, released during the album’s anniversaries. The latest reenactment was in 2016 which featured him as an adult.
Meanwhile, Cobain passed away on Aoril 5, 1994 by suicide. Nirvana disbanded following his death in the same year.
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