Regional Teacher 'Satch' is Always a Rock Star

Satch Kerans - or special education teacher "Mr. Kerans," as his students at know him, once chased the wild dream of becoming a rock star.

Back in the 1980s the gigs, the girls and the glory of landing a record deal with his band "The Catalinas" was his holy grail. Today, in his 50s with a wife he adores, a three-year old son and a newly minted solo CD titled "Pieces" - it appears he at once landed the dream and gentled it.

A week after a well-attended CD release party held at Gloucester’s The Rhumline, Kerans answered questions about his present and his future in music.

Hamilton-Wenham Patch: Since heady days when your band Catalina was battling bands in WBCN’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Rumble and being wooed by labels, you’ve settled down with a wife and child in Rockport and been quoted as saying you’ve come to love the local music scene. Tell us about Gloucester, Rockport and The Rhumb Line.

Satch Kerans: A lot of people who had something going on in Boston wound up here. I’m just one of them. Willy Alexander, known as ‘The Godfather of Punk" is here. He was with the Velvet Underground and the Boom Boom Band. Also Tony Goddess of Papas Fritas, Jenny Dee and The Deelinquents, Dan King - so there’s a pretty healthy, vibrant music scene here.

Hamilton-Wenham Patch: Are they people of a certain age and sensibility?

Satch Kerans: No, there are different sensibilities. People in their 60s and 70s and younger kids coming up.

Hamilton-Wenham Patch: Do you cross each other’s paths much?

Satch Kerans: Yeah there are jams sometimes. We did a tribute to The Band’s ‘Last Waltz’ concert. There are a lot of artists (on Cape Ann) so you feel supported artistically. For instance William Monahan the screenwriter who wrote ‘The Departed’ lives out here. He came to see me play. In fact I used to jam with him. (Laughs) Yeah (he won an Academy Award) and he used to be kind of a good songwriter.

Hamilton-Wenham Patch: You just released your third solo CD "Pieces" and your reemergence as a musician is getting a lot of attention - what happens next?

Satch Kerans: I’m enjoying the process - making CDs and playing live. New England Cable News will be playing two songs off of my new CD May 25 on The Morning Show between 7 and 9 a.m. And I provided music for an independent film called ‘Boxkicker’ that will be released this summer. My next CD is all about the 1984 Elliott Chambers Rooming House Fire of Beverly. It was the second worst fire in Massachusetts’ history. Fifteen people died. (A documentary film called "Forgotten Souls" is being made about the disaster) And I’m doing the score.

Hamilton-Wenham Patch: Do you still teach full time?

Satch Kerans: Yeah, at Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School. They’re great people I work with, great kids. I really enjoy my time. (Teaching) keeps me more balanced, helps me budget my time and lets me pick and choose gigs better. (Before, in Boston) it used to be rough paying my bills.

Hamilton-Wenham Patch: It lets you be the driver of your own vehicle rather than being the one driven?

Satch Kerans: That’s a good way of putting it.

Keran's band members on 'Pieces'  are Phil Grayton on bass, Dan Genis on lead guitar, Coley Rybicki on drums and Mike Maciver on keyboards. Also on the CD are guest musicians Willie "Loco" Alexander with spoken words, Jeff Longwell on pedal steel guitar and Ian Kennedy on violin. All songs were written by Keran. Keran's next CD titled "Little Ralph, Nancy Merson And The Elliot Chambers 15: A True Story From Beverly, Massachusetts" is due for release in June along with the documentary "Forgotten Souls," about the Elliott Chambers fire in Beverly, produced by James Maroney.