Guitarist PAT SMEAR was horrified when his hero EDDIE VAN HALEN appeared in a drunken stupor backstage at one of NIRVANA'S gigs - as the ageing rocker made a total fool of himself.

Smear, who made his name with punk rockers THE GERMS, was dumbstruck when the JUMP rocker drunkenly dropped to his knees and begged Kurt Cobain to let him join the SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT rockers on stage for a number.

After being refused, Van Halen lost even more of his dignity when he turned to Smear and demanding to play on "the Mexican's guitar" - Smear is part Cherokee and part black.

Smear says, "He was just being a freak. Like all of us, he got too f**ked up in public once and embarrassed himself."