Ah, 1999. It was the year when Dawson’s Creek was still regarded as cool, Christina Aguilera released ‘Genie In A Bottle’, Napster made its debut online… and it was also the year when Blink 182’s ‘Enema Of The State’ was released, featuring that attractive nurse snapping a rubber glove on her hand.
So, what became of porn star Janine Lindemulder?
She chose to become a kindergarten teacher, tied the knot with Jesse James, returned to the flashy world of adult films, divorced Jesse James, and faced multiple arrests for assaulting Jesse James, among other offenses. Remember that attractive nurse?
Here’s how she looks today.
While aging is a natural process for all of us, this image feels somewhat disheartening.
It sparked my curiosity… what happened to all those icons featured on our favorite album covers?
I took it upon myself to investigate the lives of these individuals who were immortalized on CD covers worldwide and to uncover their current whereabouts.
Interestingly, during my research, David Fox decided to take legal action against Placebo regarding the use of his image on their debut album cover.
What was his reason?
In his own words, he expressed that he was bullied in school because of his appearance on the cover, after his cousin granted the band permission to use the image without his knowledge, claiming that this had devastating effects on his life.
And the reality?…
You can draw your own conclusions.
Currently, he is an unemployed chef who is trying to piece together funds from his mother to sue the band (for an album cover that has been in circulation for 16 years now…).
You might recall the somewhat contentious cover art for Van Halen’s ‘1984’, which showcased a painting of a smoking angel-baby. While it is indeed a painting, it is actually inspired by a photograph of four-year-old Carter Helm (not a baby picture of David Lee Roth, as many incorrectly believe).
At the time, Nahas’ spouse, Jay Vigon, was a designer and art director who assisted a friend at Warner with the album’s release. According to Nahas, the initial concept involved an image of four chrome women dancing, but due to the complexities involved, she decided against it. However, upon discovering a photograph of Margo’s friend’s son in her portfolio, the band chose that image to represent ‘1984’.
So, what’s become of that smoking baby? He’s now 33, residing in San Francisco, and works as a writer specializing in ocean cargo and inland marine insurance. “It wasn’t until third grade that I truly understood how special being on that cover was,” Helm recounted.
“It probably took a few more years for me to grasp just how popular and iconic that album turned out to be. It felt pretty damn cool then, and it still does. However, it was a bit strange to comprehend that my image might be seen in the homes of millions.”
And what does Marcus remember about that day? He recalled, “My brother and I just showed up. I believe the photo shoot took place in a nearby park; we wore some outrageous outfits and had fun.”in pirate hats. The excitement for my brother and me revolved around the $50 we earned from the photo shoot.”
Now, what’s he currently engaged in?
“I relocated back to the UK with my family from Canada when I turned 12. Presently, I’m 27 years old and live just outside of London with my lovely wife and our two wonderful children who are six months and two years old. After graduating from university, I leveraged my degrees in psychology (undergraduate) and human resource management (postgraduate) to build my career in Human Resource Management, currently focusing on the Pharmaceutical sector.”
It’s perhaps one of the most famous album covers ever, yet at that moment, photographer Kirk Weddle wasn’t familiar with Nirvana or the monumental success the band and its album would achieve.
Kirk recalls, “I had a feeling this would make a fantastic cover because the concept was so compelling, but I was unaware of how impactful the band would become.”
How did he find himself in the midst of such a legendary photoshoot? At that time, very few photographers specialized in underwater shoots commercially, which happened to be his focus back then. “I was located through a source book. The idea of a naked baby underwater, reaching for a dollar on a fish hook, captivated me instantly,” he explains.
Essentially, it was just that… a four-month-old baby underwater, without air. “Capturing a four-month-old underwater is quite the challenge,” Kirk states.
“They are unable to communicate, bribes are out of the question, and they can’t breathe during the shoot. It was Spencer’s first experience in water, and instead of swimming, he was merely drifting. I set an underwater housing camera on a tripod, pre-focusing and pre-lighting with a baby doll. After Spencer’s mom submerged him, he floated into the frame of the camera. I took about ten shots before his dad lifted him out. We attempted one more time, but he began to cry, so I decided to stop. The session wrapped up in about five minutes. I shot half a roll of film.”
And what’s become of that baby today?
Spencer Elden, now in his early 20s, resides in LA, working as an artist (hoping to monetize his art since neither he nor his father sought royalties from the album sales) alongside Shepard Fairey.
