Content warning: This article discusses child sexual exploitation.
In August of this year, Spencer Elden, who, as a child, was photographed for the cover of Nirvana’s 1991 album, Nevermind, filed a lawsuit against the band, claiming he was the victim of child sexual exploitation.
Elden’s lawsuit listed the two surviving members of Nirvana’s Nevermind lineup – Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic – as Defendants, as well as Courtney Love and the Estate of Kurt Cobain, photographer Kirk Weddle, and the various labels that played a part in releasing and distributing Nevermind (including Universal Music Group and the David Geffen Company).
The suit – which was originally filed in the United States District Court, Central District of California on Tuesday, 24th August – has now been amended to allege that Weddle also shot images of Elden made-up to look like Hugh Hefner, according to Rolling Stone.
Elden and his lawyers have also called attention to sections of Kurt Cobain’s Journals, published by Riverhead Books in 2022, which allegedly “sketch the album cover in a sexual manner, with semen all over it,” and describe “Cobain’s twisted vision for the ‘Nevermind’ album cover.”
Elden is seeking damages for the Defendants’ “violations of federal criminal child pornography statutes,” and the Defendants’ failure “to take reasonable steps to protect Spencer” while continuing “to benefit from their participation in Spencer’s commercial sexual exploitation.”
