5 Songs - Dead Kennedys

With a name like Dead Kennedys, how could you go wrong?

Fascinating fact. For a short time, Dead Kennedy Klaus Fluoride played with Billy Squier in a group called Magic Terry & The Universe. There have been worse band names, I reckon. None come to mind at the moment.

Of all the punky junk from the early era of punk, I'd reckon that Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables was one of the items that really grabbed me. I listened to some of the stuff that followed - once or twice. But with a such a great debut, there was no way they could top it and they didn't. If you ask me. I know. No one did. So this list of five confines itself to the first album, the only Dead Kennedys I revisit.

I was working in a mall record store when I first laid eyes on it. I bought it the day it appeared, even though I knew zip about them. With a name like Dead Kennedys, how could you go wrong? I was not disappointed. For perspective, let's note that some of the top charting artists at the time included The Eagles, Journey and Styx.

Brevity is the soul of wit hereabouts. 'Holiday In Cambodia' is a marathon that approaches the five-minute mark. But only two more of the fourteen songs exceed three minutes. Six songs don't even make it to two minutes. And they're just fine. Their cover of 'Viva Las Vegas' doesn't make the list but it too is just fine.

• 'Kill The Poor' - A rousing opener to the album. Whatever happened to the neutron bomb anyway?

• 'Let's Lynch The Landlord' - Swings - with a peppy bass line by Flouride - in a way few punk bands could manage.

• 'Chemical Warfare' - Closes out side one. Just splendid.

• 'Stealing People's Mail' - Not one of the big name songs or one of the three singles ('Kill The Poor,' 'California Über Alles,' and 'Holiday In Cambodia.' But a personal favorite.

• 'Holiday In Cambodia' - Arguably their finest moment. Go ahead. Argue it. I can take it.