Nirvana’s iconic album, “Nevermind” turns 20 this year. Just as iconic as the music is the album’s cover, a shot of a naked infant floating toward a fishhook baited with a dollar bill.
At the EMP, the “Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses” exhibit is running, and you can check out the original photo for the cover, with handwritten notes in the border written by an art director.
One of these notes explains that the bottom of the swimming pool can be airbrushed out, which it was, and there is an additional note in the top border: “If anyone has a problem with his dick we can remove it.” Famously, that element was not removed, to the chagrin of the baby, Spencer Elden, who turned 16 recently. “Everyone out there in the world has seen my penis already, my baby penis.”
Kurt Cobain turned to photographer Kurt Weddle who knew the Elden’s, who allowed Spencer to be photographed for around $200. I have read that the dollar, hook and line were added later.
(Click on the photos to see them larger.)