Spencer Elden, the (now 30-year-old) baby swimming to catch a dollar on the cover of Nirvana's classic 1991 Nevermind album, recently filed a lawsuit against the band and basically everyone involved in the album. Elden and his lawyers claim the iconic cover "intentionally commercially marketed Spencer’s child pornography" and that "Cobain chose the image depicting Spencer — like a sex worker — grabbing for a dollar bill."
To celebrate the album turning 30, Nirvana's label UMe just announced a massive reissue featuring unreleased live sets and a special vinyl box set. TMZ reports that Elden's lawyer Maggie Mabie, unhappy with the reissue, is demanding UMe "redact the image of Elden's genitalia from all future album covers" including the reissue, and that it's time to "end this child exploitation and violation of privacy."
As of right now, the Nevermind reissue is still up for sale and the mockups remain unchanged. Elden is currently seeking $150,000 each from Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic; Courtney Love, who serves as the executor of Kurt Cobain’s estate; both of the estate's managers Guy Oseary and Heather Parry; photographer Kirk Weddle, who took the initial photo; art director of Nevermind Robert Fisher; and "a number of existing or defunct record companies that released or distributed the album in the last three decades."
Variety also points out the lawsuit seeks damages from original drummer Chad Channing, who was not a part of Nevermind.
