Nirvana’s “Nevermind” cover
Will the lawsuit be dismissed?
Dave Grohl performing with the Foo Fighters.
© imago / Agencia EFE
“Not serious” and “statute barred”: The Nirvana lawyers want to dismiss a lawsuit against the cover of the album “Nevermind”.
A lawsuit regarding the cover of the Nirvana album “Nevermind” is to be dismissed. According to media reports, the band’s lawyers have now requested that. Spencer Elden (30), who can be seen naked on the cover as a baby, had an effort in the lawsuit.
Elden had filed the lawsuit in August – according to media reports for “sexual exploitation of children” and “child pornography”. The accused are, among others, the former Nirvana members Dave Grohl (52) and Krist Novoselic (56) as well as Courtney Love (57), the widow of Kurt Cobain (1967-1994), and Kirk Weddle, the photographer of the cover. Their lawyers now want to try to have Elden’s lawsuit dismissed, as reported by “Billboard” among others. The allegations are said to be statute-barred. Elden’s claim that the picture shows the sexual abuse of children is also described by the lawyers as “not to be taken seriously”.
Profited from Fame?
In his lawsuit, Elden had stated that the cover of “Nevermind” caused “extreme and permanent emotional stress with physical effects” and, among other things, the loss of “joie de vivre”. Nirvana attorneys counter that Elden “spent three decades capitalizing on his fame as a self-proclaimed ‘Nirvana baby'”.
They pointed out the fact that Elden has a tattoo with the word “Nevermind” on it. That also spoke to Grohl when he a few weeks ago in a “Vulture” interview the lawsuit was addressed: “He has a ‘Nevermind’ tattoo.” He had the same feeling as most people, said the musician: He had to contradict Elden’s allegations. The band’s lawyers have requested a hearing dismissing their case in January.
The cover of the 1991 album “Nevermind” by Nirvana is considered to be one of the most famous record covers ever. The picture shows a naked baby who appears to be swimming in a pool after a dollar bill attached to a fishing hook.