The Naked Baby On The Nirvana Album Cover Is All Grown Up And Suing The Band

One of the most famous album covers in rock history came from Nirvana's “Nevermind” album. Back in the 60's and 70's, there were some famous artistic album covers since the famous album covers have dwindled.  

The “Nevermind” album cover featured a naked baby underwater in a poll with his genitals exposed for the world to see.  In that picture, you see some cash underwater and the baby reaching for it.

His parents were paid $200 for the picture.

His name is Spencer Elden and he is 30 years old and not happy with not being paid for that picture on that album cover.  According to reporting by NBC News, the attorney for Spencer Elden filed the lawsuit on Tuesday.   NBC News is reporting that his attorney, Robert Y. Lewis:

“offers an unusual interpretation of the image to argue that it crosses the line into child porn, writing that the inclusion of currency in the shot makes the baby appear ‘like a sex worker.  The album cover depicts Elden underwater in a swimming pool as a then-infant with his genitalia exposed.  The image has generally been understood as a statement on capitalism, as it includes the digital imposition of a dollar bill on a fishhook that the baby appears to be enthusiastically swimming toward. Non-sexualized nude photos of infants are generally not considered child pornography under law.”

Interesting that Elden has taken this long to become upset and found a lawyer to sue the band for him.  In fact, Variety reported that Elden has attempted to recreate the photo in the past,  this time he kept his bathing suit on.   Variety went on to state:

“However, in most of the interviews accompanying these photo shoots, he expressed deeply mixed feelings about being famous for the ‘Nevermind’ cover and whether he was exploited by it. Until now, despite his ongoing ambivalence about the photo’s legacy, he hadn’t described it as pornographic.”

His parents were paid, perhaps if Mr. Elden is looking for money he should sue them.  I wonder why he is not, perhaps they do not have as deep pockets as they do.