Love had a daughter by Cobain

Former bassist Novoselic and former drummer Grohl recently launched a lawsuit against Love after she sued them for control of the band's songs earlier in 2001.

They said Love was "irrational", "unpredictable" and motivated by self-interest.

"I know that my son would want me to stand up for him and his family in this moment of what I can only describe as total betrayal," Ms O'Connor said in a statement.

Ms O'Connor has been receiving financial support from Love, who has become a film actress and fronts her own band, Hole.

Her son fell out with the other two band members before he committed suicide in 1994, Ms O'Connor said.

'Ridiculous'

Love, Novoselic and Grohl are currently equal partners in the company that controls Nirvana's legacy, Nirvana LLC, and royalty payments are split three ways.

Love says Cobain was Nirvana's sole creative force

Novoselic and Grohl argue that the band was an equal partnership between the three members, and that while Cobain was a gifted songwriter, the finished music was a product of the trio.

But Ms O'Connor said the pair "never wrote a Nirvana song in their lives".

"For them to have [claimed] an equal partnership... is ridiculous beyond comprehension," she said.

Love argues that Cobain, who shot himself, had been the sole creative force in the band.

'Distraught'

She also blocked the release of a box set to mark the 10th anniversary of legendary album Nevermind because she did not want an unreleased song and potential hit, You Know You're Right, to be included.

And she says Nirvana's record contract with Geffen should be annulled since they were taken over by the Universal Music Group (UMG) and all rights should revert to her.

She claims she was "emotionally distraught" when she signed the contract with Nirvana LLC.

But Novoselic and Grohl have described Love as a "prima donna" whose only concern is her own career.

'Irrational'

She was not capable of handling her responsibilities in the trio's company, they claimed.

In court papers, they say Love's behaviour was "irrational, mercurial, self-cantered, unmanageable, inconsistent and unpredictable".

Nirvana were the leading group in the United States grunge scene, with hits including Smells Like Teen Spirit and Come As You Are, after Nevermind was released in 1991.

Grohl has gone on to have success as singer and guitarist with a new band, Foo Fighters, while Love has also carved out an acting career with appearances in The People vs Larry Flynt and Man on the Moon.