Cobain and Grohl were fighting. MTV hated the set list. Rehearsals were terrible.
But on November 18th, 1993 the frontman of one of the most influential rock bands of all time harnessed his nerves, talent, and whatever drugs they could find (he was at the doctor's all morning) and seemed to know he was orchestrating the mood for his own funeral. He was gone five months later. And these songs the network didn't want to hear provided the perfect soundtrack for Nirvana fans' grief.
CLICK HERE to read Chris Willman's piece for Yahoo that not only takes us behind-the-scenes, but provides a view of the legacy, of that special performance.