Former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl has spoken about the controversy surrounding the artwork for the band’s 1991 album Nevermind as the record celebrates its 30th anniversary.
Back in August, Grohl, Krist Novoselic, Courtney Love, the estate of Kurt Cobain and more were sued by Spencer Elden, who appeared as a four-month-old baby on the album’s iconic front cover, which shows his genitals.
Elden, who appears naked in the image, accused the band, photographer Kirk Weddle and the various labels that released the album of “commercial child sexual exploitation”. He is seeking damages related to “violations of federal criminal child pornography statutes”.
In a new interview with The Sunday Times, Grohl hinted that future releases of the album could be changed to reflect Elden’s complaint. “I have many ideas of how we should alter that cover but we’ll see what happens,” the Foo Fighters frontman said. “I’m sure we’ll come up with something good.”
Grohl also reflected that “at some point, unfortunately, it just becomes par for the course” when it comes to litigation. “I think that there’s much more to look forward to and much more to life than getting bogged down in those kinds of things. And, fortunately, I don’t have to do the paperwork.”
Grohl and co. are currently readying a deluxe 30th anniversary reissue for Nevermind, set to arrive next month. Elden wants the artwork censored for the reissue along with any other future re-releases of the album. “If there is a 30th anniversary re-release, he wants for the entire world not to see his genitals,” Elden’s attorney Maggie Mabie told the Associated Press back in August.
