Nevermind Baby Suing Nirvana, Says Iconic Cover is Child Pornography

Everybody knows Spencer Elden, even if nobody has any idea who Spencer Elden is: when he was four months old, he posed for the cover of Nirvana’s 1991 breakthrough album, Nevermind. For his services, he said in 2007, his parents, Renata and Rick Elden, were paid $200. Nevermind, of course, went on to become one of the most iconic and important rock records of all time. As for Elden, other than the occasional “Where Are They Now?” piece/segment, he has remained mostly anonymous…

…but now, TMZ reports, he’s suing surviving Nirvana’s surviving members, Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) and Krist Novoselic, the estate of Kurt Cobain, photographer Kurt Weddle, and the band’s label over the Nevermind cover, which he says is exploitative child pornography.

Amongst Elden’s claims in the lawsuit are that neither he nor his legal guardians consented to the photo; that the band failed to make good on a promise to cover his penis with a sticker; that he has been sexually exploited; and that he has suffered lifelong damages as a result of the image. He’s seeking $150,000, at minimum, from each of the defendants named in his suit, which would total a minimum of $2,550,000. Additionally, Elden is seeking legal fees and an injunction.

That last bit may be especially important to music history: it means if Elden wins, the Nevermind cover either has to be changed or modified.

Nirvana have not yet commented on the suit, but we’ll keep you updated.