What do these famous cover stars look like now
One of the most famous cover stars of all time, young Spencer Elden was captured aged three months old in a swimming pool in Pasadena. His father Rick was a friend of photographer Kirk Weddle, who was setting up the shoot for the album cover. “It’s kind of cool, knowing that I’ve been on an album cover,” Spencer told the Independent in 2008, when he recreated the pose, then aged 17. “But I feel pretty normal about it because growing up, I’ve always known I was the Nirvana baby. It never really struck me like, ‘Oh, shit, that’s me on the cover’.” However, the experience of being the “Nirvana Baby” turned sour for Elden. In September 2022, he posted on Instagram: “Nirvana, you’ve ruined my life. I get harassed on the streets I’ve had several rocks thrown at my head leading to severe damage.” Elden then attempted to take the band and their record company to court for publishing “child pornography”, but judges have turned down the claim, saying that “the artwork did not constitute as child pornography and that Elden had waited too long to make the claims”.
Whatever Happened To The Nurse From Blink-182’s Music Video?
Before starring in Blink-182’s video for “What’s My Age Again?” or making an appearance in skin-tight nursing scrubs on the front cover of the band’s 1999 album “Enema of the State” (via Insider), Janine Lindemulder had been a model and adult actress for over a decade. In fact, she was a “one-time softball star with college scholarship offers,” as The Wrap reports, and found her way into modeling through an ad. Lindemulder promptly made her modeling debut for Penthouse magazine in 1987 as the Pet of the Month, being featured several more times in the magazine over the span of 10 years.
In 1988, Lindemuilder starred in “Moving Target” with Linda Blair (via IMDb). She subsequently appeared in several other films in the late 1980s before graduating to adult films. In the late 1990s, Blink-182 famously tapped her for the iconic album art. Furthermore, she played the wife of a camp director in the 1997 Howard Stern film “Private Parts.” She has also appeared on Stern’s radio show as a featured guest (as seen on YouTube). Besides her career in the adult film industry, The Wrap states that she was also once an exotic dancer. But what happened to Lindemulder after she landed a spot in countless teenagers’ CD collections? As Life and Style explains, her life has been full of ups and downs.
Motherhood calls
Shortly after her music video debut, Janine Lindemulder announced in 1999 that she would be parting with the adult film industry to pursue her dreams of being a kindergarten teacher (via Life and Style). She also mentioned that she wanted to focus on raising her son. Ultimate Classic Rock writes that a sex tape featuring Lindemulder with Mötley Crüe rocker Vince Neil was also released in 1999. Needless to say, her retirement from the industry was short-lived, as she made a comeback in 2004. She subsequently appeared in several other award-winning adult films throughout the 2000s, including one with famed adult star Jenna Jameson.
Lindemulder also heard wedding bells after her iconic album cover appearance, tying the knot with West Coast Choppers founder Jesse James in 2002. The pair had one daughter together, Sunny (per Us Weekly). However, their marriage was brief. According to Life and Style, James accused Lindemulder of domestic abuse. According to court documents, James stated that in one 2003 incident (per Life and Style), “She [Lindemulder] began screaming and yelling at me . and punching me. She punched me in the face several times.” Lindemulder landed in prison for the assault, and James filed a temporary restraining order against her. Moreover, James alleged that Lindemulder had tried to run him over (via Contactmusic).
Life and Style states that the pair eventually divorced in 2004. But this was only the beginning of her legal issues — ABC News notes that she later became embroiled in a custody battle with James.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
Janine Lindemulder’s custody woes
In 2008, the Los Angeles Times reported that Janine Lindemulder was sentenced to six months in prison for tax evasion. According to ABC News, Jesse James and his then-wife actress Sandra Bullock raised Sunny while Lindemulder was locked up. However, once she was released, Lindemulder wanted custody, and the fight between her, James, and Bullock got ugly. In 2009, Lindemulder told ABC News, “What would give her [Bullock] the right to take away my daughter?” She added, “You know, this is my daughter. I am the best mother I can be.” James, on the other hand, alleged that Lindemulder was an unfit parent who was unable to financially provide.
TMZ states that James presented emails as proof of this. In these documents, Lindemulder allegedly admits to using drugs and engaging in sex work. In 2010, James and Bullock divorced (via Insider). Much to Lindemulder’s dismay, James decided to move to Austin, Texas, with their daughter Sunny. He reportedly wanted to live near Bullock, whom Sunny had a close relationship with (per ABC News). In court documents, Today writes that Lindemulder revealed that the move had negatively affected her relationship with her young daughter, who was then 6. Lindemulder stated that she had gone days without talking to her daughter, amongst other things. The actress also blamed James for the estranged relationship.
Shortly after, James received full custody of Sunny, per Us Weekly. She was arrested near Austin in January 2011 for harassing James (via MySA). Another article from TMZ explains that Lindemulder also moved to Texas. In July of that year, she was once again arrested for harassing James.
Where is she now?
Since her harassment arrests, HuffPost states that Janine Lindemulder has publicly stayed out of trouble. However, it’s unknown what relationship she currently has, if any, with her daughter Sunny. The same cannot be said for Sunny and her former stepmother. Despite the move to Austin, Us Weekly wrote in 2011 that Sunny and Sandra Bullock no longer spoke to each other. Of this, Lindemulder said, “I don’t bear any grudges against Sandra.” She added, “She has her own son to raise.”
Per her social media, Lindemulder moved to the Oregon Coast after getting out of prison and seems to be doing well — most notably posting adorable photos of her dog in a hammock. According to her Twitter page, Lindemulder is currently active on OnlyFans. Complex explains that this is a social media site where users can sell adult content — including videos and photos — via a subscription paid by individuals who want access to it. IMDb states that her last adult film credit was from 2011.
In 2022, the San Diego Reader reported that Blink-182 is planning to put Lindemulder on the cover of their latest unnamed album. This news came days after the band announced their reunion (per NPR). Drummer Travis Barker explained (via the San Diego Reader), “That, combined with Hoppus’ health scare, got us thinking about Nurse Janine [Lindemulder] from ‘Enema of the State.’ We looked her up, and it turns out she’s still doing her thing just like we’re still doing ours. Putting her on the cover of our latest just made sense.”
What do these famous cover stars look like now?
The Nirvana baby. The Siamese Dream girls. The Arctic Monkeys debut album guy. What are the names behind the album cover personalities?
Blink 182 – Enema Of The State
The nurse with a wicked look in her eye is none other than porn star Janine Lindemulder (although the band claim that they didn’t know this at the time). The rubber glove was a reference to the band’s original title, Turn Your Head And Cough. Ms Lindemulder is the star of such cinematic offerings as Extreme Close Up (1997), Hidden Obsessions (1994) and Seven Deadly Sins (2000). She retired from the adult video industry the same year as she shot the Blink-182 cover, but made a comeback in 2004.
Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
The man taking a drag on his ciggy is one Chris McClure, who is the brother of The Reverend Jon McClure, he of The Makers fame. McClure also appeared on the cover of Toddla T’s 2009 debut album Skanky Skanky, reprising his famous role. He was a mutual friend of both Toddla T and former Arctic Monkeys bassist Andy Nicholson.
15 years. What a record. Met some great people since. literally through having my photo taken. Pleasure to be associated with it 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/sZ03vOwhvd — Chris McClure (@chrismcclure86) January 23, 2021
Nirvana – Nevermind (1991)
One of the most famous cover stars of all time, young Spencer Elden was captured aged three months old in a swimming pool in Pasadena. His father Rick was a friend of photographer Kirk Weddle, who was setting up the shoot for the album cover. “It’s kind of cool, knowing that I’ve been on an album cover,” Spencer told the Independent in 2008, when he recreated the pose, then aged 17. “But I feel pretty normal about it because growing up, I’ve always known I was the Nirvana baby. It never really struck me like, ‘Oh, shit, that’s me on the cover’.” However, the experience of being the “Nirvana Baby” turned sour for Elden. In September 2022, he posted on Instagram: “Nirvana, you’ve ruined my life. I get harassed on the streets I’ve had several rocks thrown at my head leading to severe damage.” Elden then attempted to take the band and their record company to court for publishing “child pornography”, but judges have turned down the claim, saying that “the artwork did not constitute as child pornography and that Elden had waited too long to make the claims”.
Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream (1993)
Two young girls playing dress-up and eating sweeties – the ideal way to depict a guitar-thrashing grunge classic, according to Billy Corgan. When Billy reunited Smashing Pumpkins in 2018, he enlisted the help of the two girls – Ali Laenger and Lysandra Roberts – to launch the tour. And here’s how they looked 25 years later. As Corgan said: “What’s amazing is their chemistry with one another still leaps through the camera to this day.”
The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead (1986)
The cover of the ‘Miffs’ classic album features a shot of the French-Swiss actor Alain Delon, taken from the 1964 film L’Insoumis (aka The Unvanquished). Delon plays a deserter from the French Foreign Legion and was also a producer on the picture. It’s taken from the final scene, where Alain’s character lies dying on the floor. Monsieur Delon has also appeared in films such as The Leopard (1963), The Yellow Rolls Royce (1965), Spirits Of The Dead (1968), Girl On A Motorcycle (1968, with Marianne Faithfull) and Scorpio (1973).
The Smiths – The Smiths (1984)
Joe Dallesandro was a muscle man, model, actor and a graduate of Andy Warhol’s Factory school of non-talent. The debut album from The Smiths shows a cropped shot of Little Joe from Warhol’s 1968 art movie Trash. Joe Dallesandro also claimed to be the crotch behind the controversial sleeve to the Stones’ first album on their own label. As he was a mate of Andy Warhol, who did the art direction, it’s a reasonable claim, but one that has not been, er, verified.
The actor appeared in many of Warhol’s challenging art movies, including Flesh, Trash and Heat. He’s also appeared in John Waters‘ Cry Baby and Francis Ford Coppola’s The Cotton Club, but we consider his best work to be the 1970s camp-gore classics Flesh For Frankenstein and Blood For Dracula.
U2 – Boy (1980)
Young Peter Rowen was the younger brother of Guggi, member of Irish post-punk band The Virgin Prunes and a close friend of Bono. The US record label were worried that the band may be accused of paedophilia for some reason and changed the cover for Stateside release. Peter appeared again (slightly older) on the cover of the band’s third album, War. He later became a photographer and shot U2’s 360° tour in 2009.
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