Four years ago, Cuban-born musician Hector Tellez Jr. was living in Havana: playing local clubs several nights a week, delivering passionate performances of well-oiled melodic blues rock. His style, merging the grit of Muddy Waters wailing on electric guitars with the tender-hearted yet mysterious air of Jeff Buckley, was not always welcomed by the locals, […]
For decades, having a signature guitar was reserved for classic rock legends — the Claptons, the Hendrixes, the Pages, the SRVs and EVHs. But that’s no longer the case. From pop-punk to heavy metal, alt-country to neo-soul, modern artists of all genres and backgrounds are getting signature guitars from companies big and small. Among the […]
A year after Spencer Elden (aka the Nevermind baby) initially filed a lawsuit against Nirvana, the case has been dismissed. Judge Fernando M. Olguin ruled that the case, which argues the iconic album’s artwork is child pornography, was well past the statute of limitations (10 years) and dismissed it with prejudice. Elden is barred from re-filing the […]
When the guitar Kurt Cobain played in Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” music video went up for auction, its estimated value was between $600,000-$800,000. But the final price far exceeded those estimates. Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay ended up buying the left-handed Fender Mustang for a whopping $4,500,000. “I am thrilled to preserve and protect […]
Kurt Cobain‘s guitar used in the iconic “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video will be available for auction as part of Julien’s Auctions’ “Music Icons” auction which will take place at New York’s Hard Rock Cafe and online May 20-22. The left-handed Fender Mustang guitar comes in a Competition Lake Placid blue finish and is estimated […]
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SPIN may receive an affiliate commission. Nirvana, one of the most famous bands to come out of Seattle’s grunge scene, had a lasting impact on music that can be felt today. And whether you followed their trajectory or you’re a […]
Nirvana has filed another motion to dismiss in their ongoing legal dispute with Spencer Elden, who is accusing them of sexually exploitive imagery on the Nevermind cover. In the filing obtained by SPIN, Nirvana’s counsel makes their stance clear: “This case must end.” Nirvana is asking the court “for an order dismissing this action, with […]
Hey wait, he’s got a new complaint. Nearly two weeks after a judge dismissed his initial suit after missing a deadline to respond to Nirvana‘s request to dismiss, Spencer Elden has filed paperwork in U.S. District Court of Central California. The second amended complaint, as obtained by SPIN, says that the suit is seeking “damages […]
This article originally appeared in the September 1999 issue of SPIN. “You must be high.” We heard that a lot during the time we spent preparing this issue. Which is understandable. Pronouncing the 90 greatest albums of the ’90s is a somewhat presumptuous thing to do. When you’re measuring the music this decade is offering to […]
Remember when Spencer Elden, the baby pictured on the cover of Nevermind, sued Nirvana alleging “commercial sexual exploitation” of a minor? The case elicited groans and outrage from Nirvana fans, but the band didn’t issue a statement on the case until now. According to Billboard, on Wednesday in a new filing at U.S. District Court in […]