Spencer Elden, the naked swimming baby on Nirvana‘s iconic 1991 album Nevermind cover, is pleading with the band on the album’s 30th anniversary to have the artwork revealing his genitalia to be altered.
While fans, next-gen artists and the landmark album’s producer Butch Vig are reflecting on the anniversary of Nevermind, which was released 30 years ago on Sept. 24, 1991, via DGC Records, Elden continues his fight over the naked photo of him as an infant. Now, he wants the image on all future reissues of the album — some of which are dropping soon — censored. The 30th anniversary editions of the album, which will be available starting Nov. 12, will feature more than 70 previously unreleased audio and video tracks. Elden and his attorneys at the Marsh Law Firm released a statement Friday about the matter, describing it as an issue of “consent,” “child pornography” and “privacy.”
“Today, like each year on this date, our client Spencer Elden has had to brace himself for renewed unwanted attention from the media and fans alike throughout the world. This is a choice that he has never had. It has been thrust upon him, and for 30 years he has dealt with its devastating and painful consequences,” reads the statement shared with Billboard.” “Our message to Nirvana is clear — redact the image of Mr. Elden’s genitalia from all future album covers.”