Spencer Elden, the Nevermind baby, has filed a new version of his lawsuit against Nirvana, claiming he was styled and shot as Hugh Hefner.
In August, the baby on the cover of Nirvana’s Nevermind – now an adult – filed a lawsuit against the band, claiming that the photo of him swimming naked is actually commercial child pornography, and that consent was never given by him or his guardians.
Elden has now added new amendments to the lawsuit, claiming that the photographer also shot pictures of himself dressed up as Hugh Hefner.
When news of the lawsuit originally dropped, there was a generally widespread consensus that Elden was doing the whole thing as a money grab. Old habits die hard.
The new amendments seem to be a way to combat this criticism and prove further that the cover is child pornography, and that the Nevermind baby genuinely faced harm throughout his life due to the cover.
The new filing has dredged up some pretty disturbing excerpts from journal entries attributed to Kurt Cobain.
According to the lawsuit, the journal entries, “describe Cobain’s twisted vision for the Nevermind [sic] album cover, along with his emotional struggles,” followed by some extremely troubling words about mutilating babies.
nevermind baby suing nirvana is the most ironic thing i’ve ever heard. man really is chasing that dollar bill
— kat (@par1stexas) August 25, 2021
The lawsuit claims that the journal had sketches of “the album cover in a sexual manner, with semen all over it,” furthering the claims of the original lawsuit, that the band, and photographer, intended for the cover to be viewed in a sexual nature.
Along with the Hugh Hefner baby shoot, and questionable journal entries, the new filing also drops Chad Channing, former Nirvana drummer, as a defendant in the case. Also no longer named is Warner Music, as well as Heather Parry and Guy Oseary, who were previously listed as managers of Cobain’s estate.
Still included in the lawsuit is Courtney Love, the two surviving band members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, the photographer Kirk Weddle, and the various labels that played a part in releasing and distributing the album.
The Nevermind baby is seeking a minimum of $150,000 from each defendant, as compensation for the “extreme and permanent emotional distress” he has faced due to the notorious album cover.
