Damaged Bug is the solo project of John Dwyer, a musician best known as the frontman for the prolific psych-punk outfit Thee Oh Sees (also known as OCS, Oh Sees, or The Oh Sees). Venturing away from the more frenetic garage rock sounds of his main group, Damaged Bug showcases Dwyer's experimental tendencies, leaning into synthesizer-driven compositions, lo-fi textures, and elements of electronic psychedelia. The clandestine persona of Damaged Bug allows Dwyer to explore the synthy underbelly of his musical psyche with a sense of liberated invention.

The project debuted with the album "Hubba Bubba" in 2014, revealing Dwyer's affection for vintage synths and homespun electronica. Follow-up releases such as "Cold Hot Plumbs" in 2015 and "Bunker Funk" in 2017 continued to evolve the Damaged Bug sound, wrapping catchy, sometimes off-kilter melodies in layers of electronic fuzz and buzzing keys. The 2020 release "Bug on Yonkers" represented a unique pivot, consisting of covers drawn from the catalog of cult musician and composer Michael Yonkers. The record not only signifies Dwyer's reverence for Yonkers' work but also his capacity to recontextualize esoteric influences through the distinctive, scratchy lens of his Damaged Bug alter-ego.