Synopsis
Issues are presented in a performance-driven portrait built around the swagger and restless energy of "Hooligans." The band members appear in individual close-ups and full-group shots, delivering the song with a mix of clean vocals, screams, rhythmic movement, and hard-edged playing. Rather than following a conventional storyline, the video emphasizes attitude, camaraderie, and the group's emerging identity as young musicians determined to succeed without abandoning their roots.
Factoids & Trivia
- "Hooligans" was released in July 2013 as a stand-alone single through Rise Records, ahead of Issues' self-titled debut album.
- The official video was published by Rise Records on July 4, 2013. Its running time is just under four minutes.
- The song's lyrics reference Pasadena, California, and frame the word "hooligans" as a badge of loyalty and youthful determination rather than a description of football violence.
- An acoustic reworking of "Hooligans" was included on the 2014 EP "Diamond Dreams," which revisited material from the band's early period in a softer format.
- A separate live music video appeared in 2014, using footage from Issues' Atlanta stop on the American Dream Tour with Bring Me the Horizon, letlive., and Of Mice & Men.
- "Hooligans" remained one of Issues' signature live songs. It was used as a set opener or encore number during later tours and was performed at the band's final Atlanta shows in January 2024, including an appearance by former vocalist Michael Bohn.