Spencer Elden, the guy who played the baby for the Nirvana album, Nevermind is suing the record company for s*xual exploitation. The photo they took of him depicts a naked baby, under the water surface, chasing after a dollar bill with a hook. A lot of context to read if you’ve heard the album before. But, for him, was something the company exploited without the proper rights.
The album has also one specific detail that they didn’t bother to cover it up, specifically the baby’s dinkus. His Yankee Doodle. He found out that his parents never signed the papers that authorized the use of the photo. In legal documentation. The photoshoot was done for 200 USD, and nothing much else. It had only 15 seconds of shots.
Legal Precedent
Spencer has stated that the album photo has had a negative effect. On his school, social life and his mental health. The Nirvana album sold over 30 million worldwide. Mostly in the US. So seeing the album cover without him at the least, getting the necessary remuneration, has left a gaping hole in his life. Now it seems he is striking back against the record company. That is still selling the album with his baby picture on it.
His lawyer tells the judge that the dollar imposed with the naked baby looks like a “s*x worker”. Record company promised the followings album discs sold, will have the chinku redacted by a black marker. Which never came to be.
He is asking for 150,000 USD from 15 of the defendants. Of which includes Kurt Cobain estate, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl, the prior bandmembers, Courtney Love, the photographer Kirk Weddle and other people involved in the project for the emotional damages he’s had to deal with. Nirvana will never be the same again.
