Love victory in battle over Nirvana

Cobain recorded the song shortly before his death

Kurt Cobain's widow, Courtney Love, has scored a preliminary success in her battle to control the music of the Seattle grunge band Nirvana.

A judge granted her an injunction against the release of a song recorded by Cobain with Nirvana before his death in 1994.

The fight is over control of Nirvana

Warren Rheaume, attorney for Grohl and Novoselic

Love and the two remaining band members, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, are in court fighting for control of the studio recording of the song and a 45-track box set designed to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Nirvana's groundbreaking Nevermind album.

"The fight is over control of Nirvana," said Warren Rheaume, the attorney for Grohl and Novoselic.

Love argues the song is not necessary for the success of the box set, which is intended for release on 23 October.

Unreleased gem

The track, called You Know You're Right, is regarded by fans as one of the unreleased gems of Nirvana.

Love: Downplays contribution of others to Nirvana

People who have heard the January 1994 studio recording of the song agree it could be a big hit.

A 45-second bootleg from a live version of the song can be heard on the band's fan club internet site.

All sides involved in the dispute agree that the song - with an introduction of "I don't need to love again/I won't sigh and mope again/I don't need to love again" - would be a fitting final chapter of Nirvana's legacy.

"It's a spectacular piece of music," said Love's attorney, O Yale Lewis. "Probably one of the most important pieces of music to be released in years."

A trial to resolve the issue has been scheduled for 31 December 2002.

Contractual battle

The song is part of a contractual battle over Nirvana's music.

Nirvana ... was the living manifestation of the creative vision, personal will and life force of a single unique individual

Love's court documents

Love and the surviving band members formed a partnership three years after Cobain died.

But in the court filings, Love said she was "emotionally overwrought and distraught" when she signed the agreement, which splits proceeds from the band's assets equally among the three.

Court documents filed for Love downplay the contribution to Nirvana by Grohl and Novoselic.

"Nirvana could never be a partnership because it was the living manifestation of the creative vision, personal will and life force of a single unique individual," say the documents.