© Michael LavineMusic / NewsMusic / NewsThe baby on Nirvana’s Nevermind cover was also ‘depicted as Hugh Hefner’New amendments to Spencer Elden’s lawsuit against the band also cite entries from Kurt Cobain’s personal journalsShareLink copied ✔️November 24, 2021November 24, 2021Text Thom Waite Photos of Nirvana before grunge went mainstream The 30-year-old man (and former baby) who appeared on Nirvana’s Nevermind album cover has amended his lawsuit against the band, including new details about Kurt Cobain’s alleged vision for the artwork. Spencer Elden originally filed the lawsuit — against surviving members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, the managers of Cobain’s estate, Cobain’s former wife Courtney Love, and the album cover photographer Kirk Weddle — in a Los Angeles court on August 24, alleging that the image of an underwater naked baby constituted child pornography and sexual exploitation. Amid the ongoing dispute, his lawyer, Robert Lewis, has now filed an amended suit (obtained by Digital Music News) maintaining the original claims that the defendants “failed to take reasonable steps to protect Spencer and prevent his widespread sexual exploitation and image trafficking”. However, the amended court documents add a claim that Kirk Weddle took more photos of Elden following the iconic photoshoot, styled as Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. “Weddle soon after produced photographs of Spencer dressed up and depicted as Hugh Hefner,” the statement reads, with no further context. Claiming to have suffered “extreme and permanent emotional distress”, Elden is seeking $150,000 per defendant, as well as coverage of attorney’s fees and a trial by jury. In the new filing, Nirvana drummer Chad Channing, Warner Music, Heather Parry and Guy Oseary (previously listed as managers of the Cobain estate) have been removed as defendants. Other new amendments to the lawsuit include sections from Kurt Cobain’s personal journals, which were published in 2002. “Undated journals written by Cobain sketch the album cover in a sexual manner, with semen all over it,” reads part of the filing. It goes on to include a disturbing quote, though it’s unclear how directly it is related to the album cover. “In several instances, the journals describe Cobain’s twisted vision for the Nevermind album cover, along with his emotional struggles: ‘I like to make incisions into the belly of infants then fuck the incision until the child dies.’” After Elden’s initial filing in August, legal experts suggested that his case was likely to be thrown out, citing the fact that non-sexualised photos of infants are generally not considered child pornography under US law. His previous embrace of the Nirvana album cover — including recreations as an adult, and even a tattoo of its title — is also thought to damage his argument. “At some point, unfortunately, it just becomes par for the course,” said Cobain’s bandmate Dave Grohl of the legal trouble last month. However, he did add that the Nevermind cover could be reworked in the future, saying: “I have many ideas of how we should alter that cover, but we’ll see what happens.” Earlier this month, an expansive 30th anniversary reissue of Nevermind arrived, complete with the original album artwork. Released September 24, 1991.#Nevermind30pic.twitter.com/4X7JiAh6gm— Nirvana (@Nirvana) September 24, 2021Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 30,000+ creatives from around the world.TrendingThe most loved photo stories from July 2026After-hours kissing, New York’s strippers, fun with a photocopier and much more... here are five stand-out photo stories from the past month on DazedArt & PhotographyBeauty10 of the hottest Instagram accounts fusing art, sex and eroticaDHLMusicWhat went down at DHL’s fan event in London with Raf-SaperraMusicWhat is UK Poo? The controversial new ‘genre’ making a splash onlineLife & Culture‘The bromance is over’: Young American men are turning against TrumpFashion7 times Yves Saint Laurent reinvented sex appealFashionBurberry’s most famous design is getting its own exhibition Musicpetal: The dark, disturbing beauty of Ariana Grande’s new albumArt & PhotographyThe dynamics of male beauty, flowers, photography and moreEscape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy