Black Bugs

{{Infobox song

| name = Black Bugs

| cover = Black_Bugs_by_Regurgitator.png

| caption = UK artwork

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Regurgitator

| album = Unit

| released = January 1998

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=02}}

| label = EastWest

| writer = Quan Yeomans

| producer = Magoo, Regurgitator

| prev_title = Everyday Formula

| prev_year = 1997

| next_title = Polyester Girl

| next_year = 1998

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|NCA7--Qcp78|"Black Bugs"}}}}

}}

"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.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/history/1998.htm#1998b |title=Hottest 100 1998 |work=Triple J |access-date=7 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010161050/http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/history/1998.htm#1998b |archive-date=10 October 2010 |url-status=dead }} 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

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."{{cite web|url= https://happymag.tv/polyester-genius-reflecting-on-the-boundary-pushing-perfection-of-regurgitators-1997-classic-unit/|title= Polyester genius: reflecting on the boundary-pushing perfection of Regurgitator's 1997 classic, Unit |website=Happy Mag |access-date=7 October 2019}}

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."{{cite web|url=https://tonedeaf.thebrag.com/regurgitator-biggest-hits/|title=The 10 biggest hits from Brisbane alt-rock legends Regurgitator |website=The Brag| date=13 May 2019 |access-date=7 October 2019}}

Music video

The animated music video sees the four members of the band, portrayed as cartoon animals, performing and dancing to the song.{{cite web |url=https://www.ilikeyouroldstuff.com/news/unit-by-regurgitator-is-20-today |title=UNIT BY REGURGITATOR IS 20 TODAY |work=I Like Your Old Stuff |access-date=28 August 2022}} It was directed by Regurgitator frontman Quan Yeomans. The video was nominated for Best Video at the 1998 ARIA Music Awards.{{cite web |url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/1998 |title=Winners By Year - 1998 |work=ARIA Music Awards |access-date=28 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927121049/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=1998 |archive-date=27 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}

Track listings

{{Track listing

| headline = Australian and UK CD single

| title1 = Black Bugs

| length1 = 3:02

| title2 = Living in the City

| length2 = 3:29

| title3 = Live at the Drive In

| length3 = 1:46

}}

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col"\| Chart (1998) !scope="col"\| Peak position
{{single chart\|Australia\|32\|artist=Regurgitator\|song=Black Blugs\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 October 2019\|refname="ARIA"}}
{{single chart\|UK\|88\|date=19980926\|rowheader=true}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

scope="col"| Chart (1998)

!scope="col"| Peak
position

{{single chart|Australia|32|artist=Regurgitator|song=Black Blugs|rowheader=true|access-date=4 October 2019|refname="ARIA"}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" ! Region ! Date ! Format ! Label ! Catalogue ! {{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference}}
scope="row"\| Australia \| January 1998 \| CD \| EastWest \| 3984219182 \|
scope="row"\| United Kingdom \| 14 September 1998 \| {{hlist\|7-inch vinyl\|CD}} \| {{hlist\|Coalition\|EastWest}} \| {{hlist\|COLA 059\|COLA 059CD}} \| {{cite magazine\|title=New Releases: Singles\|magazine=Music Week\|page=45\|date=12 September 1998}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

! Region

! Date

! Format

! Label

! Catalogue

! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"| Australia

| January 1998

| CD

| EastWest

| 3984219182