Barely anyone was bothered by the fact that the baby's penis was visible in the photo. The members of Nirvana - then a relatively unknown band - had themselves tried to pose underwater, but the photo with the baby swimming after a dollar bill convinced them all: the band, the label, the photographer. And so, Elden's father allowed his then 4-month-old baby to be photographed in water, resulting in one of the most famous album covers in music history. But the same sensitivity wasn't there 30 years ago. No one today would ever think of putting a naked baby on show like that. For one, child abuse has been recognized around the world as a problem that needs to be taken seriously. That's how long Spencer Elden said he put up with being associated with the naked swimming baby on the cover of Nirvana's Nevermind album.Ī lot has changed in 30 years. Elden re-created the cover for the record's 10th, 17th and 25th anniversaries.Ĭobain died in 1994, while Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic are still performing with different bands, including the Foo Fighters.The cover of Nirvana's 'Nevermind' album featured Spencer Elden Image: Geffen Records Nevermind was released in 1991 and has sold more than 30 million copies. According to documents filed in Los Angeles federal court on Tuesday, Elden says his 'identity and legal name are forever tied to the commercial sexual exploitation he experienced as a minor which has been distributed and sold worldwide from the time he was a baby to the present day.' The members of Nirvana snapped in 1991: Dave Grohl, Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic.Īccording to Deadline, Elden, a Los Angeles resident, alleges lifelong damage and is seeking compensation from the defendants.

He is suing 17 defendants, including the estate of late Nirvana singer and front man Kurt Cobain, with accusations that they breached child pornography laws in creating the artwork. Spencer Elden, now 30, is suing those who were responsible for the album imagery, including the record label, the art directors and the surviving members of the band.Įlden alleges his parents didn't sign a release form for photographer Kirk Weddle to snap him at 4 months old, floating naked in a pool along with a dollar bill. It's one of the most iconic album covers in rock history, but Nirvana's Nevermind doesn't spark happy memories for the man who appeared on the famous cover as a baby.

Boy from nirvana nevermind cover