RAW NERVE: Nirvana’s public wars of words...

RAW NERVE: Nirvana’s public wars of words have generally involved high-profile opponents--notably Axl Rose and Eddie Vedder.

But the latest involves just the kind of folks the band usually supports: fellow Seattle rockers Tad.

It seems Nirvana invited Tad to open nine West Coast shows on its current tour, including last week’s San Diego and Los Angeles dates.

But then Tad, the ex-butcher who is lead singer in the band named after himself, said something unflattering about Courtney Love--the wife of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain--to the English pop press.

Bye-bye Tad.

Asked about the matter, a publicist for Tad’s record company, Giant Records, said that Tad’s girlfriend and Love “don’t get along.”

“Other things contributed, it wasn’t solely that,” says a Nirvana spokeswoman. “But that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. You just can’t say mean things about someone’s wife.”