Seconds is a symbol of popular culture, but it has been controversial: In September 1991, the cover of the Nirvana album “Nevermind” was decorated with an underwater image of a naked baby holding a dollar bill. This photo was taken in a swimming pool in Pasadena, California. This photo by the photographer Kirk Weedle was criticized as early as the 1990s for showing the naked genitals of children-but it was not until 30 years later that the first legal dispute over photography began: the portrayal Baby, now 30 years old Spencer Elden (Spencer Elden) has a former band member, Kurt Cobain And sued the photographer.
Several aspects are said to have played a role in the litigation in the Los Angeles Federal Court. A report by the American television station CBS stated that Spencer Eldon’s parents never agreed to use the photos for commercial and large-scale use. In addition, Eldon also filed serious allegations of sexual exploitation. The nude portrayal of minors is child pornography that violates U.S. law. According to the American magazine Variety, the plaintiff demanded more than US$150,000 in compensation from 17 defendants, including photographer Kirk Wedel and band members. Dave Groer And Krist Novoselic, Kurt Cobain’s wife Courtney Love, and record company representatives. In addition, he has never seen the band, although as soon as Spencer grew up, his parents were promised to eat with him and the band during filming. However, due to Kurt Cobain’s early death, it never happened.
Allegation: “Intentionally making commercial child pornography”
Eldon also told various American media that his identity and name are “always related to commercial sexual exploitation through images,” which is a guarantee he received from the photographer. Because of the portrayal, he feels like a “sex worker who reaches out for money.” He accused the defendant band members and photographers of “deliberately producing, possessing and promoting commercial child pornography”-also because of deliberately displaying the baby’s genitals. You will promise your parents not to let them watch. However, the defendant failed to take the necessary measures to protect him and his personal rights and prevent the black market of images.
To this day, this cover has been copied a thousand times. “Nevermind” is the rock band’s most successful album, with more than 30 million copies sold. Music magazine “Rolling Stone” selected it as number 6 in the 500 best albums of all time and number 1 in the 100 best albums of the 1990s in 2020.
However, in the American media, Eldon has also been criticized: in recent years, he has often been photographed in the same swimming pool in a “okay” pose, despite wearing underwear. In 2016, he had an ambivalent attitude towards BBC Radio. “It’s cool, but it’s weird, it became part of something I don’t even remember. The strange thing is that I did it for five minutes when I was four months old, and then this photo became so famous.” He also expressed right The album’s success lacks financial participation and the dissatisfaction that is always associated with Nirvana. , But don’t know the band at all.
Initially, a file photo of a swimming baby was used in 1991. However, for Geffen Records, the copyright cost is too high. This is why Kirk Weedle, an unknown photographer at the time, was commissioned. He in turn asked a few friends if their four-month-old child could become a model. Allegedly, Kurt Kubin himself chose this photo for the cover. Eldon’s parents received about $200 in filming fees at the time. A few years later, Elden received a platinum plaque from the label. It is said to be hung on the wall in the living room of a family in Los Angeles.
