By MICHELLE HASH
Staff Writer
The 30 year-old, beloved, album Nevermind by Nirvana is facing backlash from the baby show on the cover. Spencer Elden, the baby shown on the cover, has come forward August 2021 saying he thinks the cover was exploitive. He is suing the band for $150,000 for alleged “sexual exploitation” of him as a minor.
In the United States, the cover is not against the law. Unless the picture is explicit in nature, it is not considered explicit. Although Elden is coming out now about his discontent with the album cover, there have been multiple instances in interviews in which he says he thinks it is a fun conversation starter when he meets new people. He has since come out saying the cover has caused him lifelong mental and physical distress.
Kurt Cobain’s vision for the album was inspired by his fascination with babies being born underwater. The album was originally going to picture Cobain instead, but the band agreed that would be too shocking, so they decided on using a baby.
Elden believes he is entitled to a percentage of the earnings from the album. He has no ill will towards any of the members, or his father who consented to his starring in the cover. Elden mentions that he feels left out that everyone made money off the album he was the star of, him making none of the profit.