When lists are made and articles are written about rock and roll’s greatest album covers
there’s a consistent name at the top: Nevermind by Nirvana; Nirvana’s breakthrough 1991 record that cemented the band’s legacy into legend. The image of the baby floating towards a dollar bill on a fish-hook is instantly recognisable as iconic. Now
for the first time in book form
the photographer behind the lens shares his memories from that day along with his nearly 140 outtakes, include promo shots of the band. Kirk Weddle, an up-and-coming photographer specialising in submerged humans, was called by the album’s art director Robert Fisher with the brief. Weddle went to work and over the course of a few days produced not only the album’s iconic cover, but also a series of images of the band that were ultimately never used at the time. They are all reproduced in the book. The stories from Weddle of the days shooting
first a series of babies, then a series of the band - paint a picture of a band at the brink of superstardom. Tired from touring, they arrived ‘surprised’ to discover that they, too, would have to dive into the pool. It was a cold, overcast day in Los Angeles. It wasn’t the ideal swimming situation remembers Weddle. Nirvana: Never Mind the Photoswill be the first time the photographs will be published as a whole. The book showcases these extraordinary shots, examining just how difficult photographing an underwater baby turned out to be, nevertheless photographing an underwater band. These images of Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic capture the band as they dive in and submerge themselves into the rock icon stratosphere. With contributions, essays and quotes throughout, including Steven Walker, owner of Modern Rocks Gallery (USA), journalist Steve Fairclough, album art director Robert Fisher, coupled with Weddle’s own commentary, makes this one-of-a-kind book an insightful celebration of one of the world’s most iconic images. AUTHOR: Kirk Weddle is known as one of the industry’s best underwater photographers. Weddle’s works for global clients, including Logitech, Coca-Cola, Toshiba, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Time, Rolling Stone and Newsweek. Nevermind was his first album cover shoot. Weddle shoots on location, in the studio and underwater.
SELLING POINTS: . Publishing on the 30th Anniversary of the release of Nevermind by Nirvana, 24 September 2021 . 150 colour and black & white photos throughout.
