Copyright postandcourier
On Oct. 31 – Halloween night – Myrtle Beach-area rockers Rebellium are set to perform at The Javelina Texas Bar & Grill in Murrells Inlet from 8 p.m. until midnight, bringing with them high-energy sets that include everything from Metallica to Iron Maiden, Seether to Disturbed, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society, Poison and much more. Rebellium founder and bass player Brian Haynes, aka Bean, grew up watching hard rock and heavy metal take flight. He was 15 when he first picked up a guitar. "I had a friend that played guitar," he said. "He had been playing for a couple of years, and we got the bright idea that we were going to become rock stars." This took place in Connecticut. His friend taught him some licks and Haynes continued to teach himself. They formed a band called Crucifier in the late ‘80s and played for a couple of years until Haynes joined the Army, where he served as a machinist. That included a year in the Middle East – Iraq/Kuwait/Saudi Arabia. "I worked with an armored unit, so I got to interact with Bradleys [Bradley Fighting Vehicles], Abrams tanks and multi-launch rocket systems. My job was just awesome, and I got to play with all kinds of cool stuff,” he said. Haynes said he was able to play music off and on in the Army with like-minded servicemembers, but when he got out, he didn’t play for several years. He didn’t even own a guitar until his wife later bought him one. Even then, he played sporadically. He moved to the Myrtle Beach area 14 years ago, eventually meeting current Rebellium lead guitarist Brendan Gregory. "He's actually my daughter’s boyfriend," Haynes said. "He's just an insane guitarist. From his youth, he never stopped playing and never stopped learning." From those early jam sessions, a group slowly began to take shape, with other musicians coming on board – but things ramped up when opportunity called. Haynes is part of a nonprofit organization called War Vets Motorcycle Club, which was then putting together a fifth-anniversary event and needed a band.
