Black Bugs

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"Black Bugs"
UK artwork
Single by Regurgitator
from the album Unit
ReleasedJanuary 1998
Length3:02
LabelEastWest
Songwriter(s)Quan Yeomans
Producer(s)Magoo, Regurgitator
Regurgitator singles chronology
"Everyday Formula"
(1997)
"Black Bugs"
(1998)
"Polyester Girl"
(1998)
Music video
"Black Bugs" on YouTube

"Black Bugs" is a song by Australian rock band Regurgitator. It was released in January 1998 as the second single from the band's second studio album, Unit (1997). The single peaked at number 32 in Australia and was ranked at the same position on Triple J's Hottest 100 in 1998.[1] The single also peaked at number 88 in the United Kingdom, becoming Regurgitator's first and only song to enter the top 100 in that country.

Reception[edit]

Nick Stillman from Happy Mag said "'Black Bugs' is the perfect archetype of how to create rock music with a metallic heart […] In a nod to 80s pop, the guitars are wrapped in a sheet of shimmering modulation, and the drums reverberate with digital desolation. There's a curling keyboard solo too and a persistent sampled drum track that ties the whole song together."[2]

In 2019, Tyler Jenke from The Brag ranked Regurgitator's best songs, with "Black Bugs" coming in at number nine. Jenke said "'Black Bugs' was something of a timely anthem about being addicted to video games, backed by a computer-generated film clip that made listeners keen to head home, boot up their Nintendo 64, and blast some black bugs."[3]

Music video[edit]

The animated music video sees the four members of the band, portrayed as cartoon animals, performing and dancing to the song.[4] It was directed by Regurgitator frontman Quan Yeomans.[5] The video was nominated for Best Video at the 1998 ARIA Music Awards.[5]

Track listings[edit]

Australian and UK CD single
No.TitleLength
1."Black Bugs"3:02
2."Living in the City"3:29
3."Live at the Drive In"1:46

Charts[edit]

Chart (1998) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[6] 32
UK Singles (OCC)[7] 88

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format Label Catalogue Ref.
Australia January 1998 CD EastWest 3984219182
United Kingdom 14 September 1998
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • Coalition
  • EastWest
  • COLA 059
  • COLA 059CD
[8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Hottest 100 1998". Triple J. Archived from the original on 10 October 2010. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Polyester genius: reflecting on the boundary-pushing perfection of Regurgitator's 1997 classic, Unit". Happy Mag. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  3. ^ "The 10 biggest hits from Brisbane alt-rock legends Regurgitator". The Brag. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  4. ^ "UNIT BY REGURGITATOR IS 20 TODAY". I Like Your Old Stuff. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Winners By Year - 1998". ARIA Music Awards. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  6. ^ "Regurgitator – Black Blugs". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  8. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 12 September 1998. p. 45.