“People don’t really think that collateralized debt obligations make me a rock star” explained social studies teacher Douglas Berglund, who recently was inducted into the North Dakota Rock-Country music hall of fame on May 4th in Fargo, North Dakota.

Berglund was inducted as part of the first class of the newly created North Dakota Rock-Country music hall of fame.

Berglund, who gave up a college basketball scholarship to go tour the country with his band “The Newz” mainly teaches economics and psychology classes.

“I basically made a pact that if I hadn’t made it as a rock star by the time I was 30 I would go do something else with my life. I really don’t think my bandmates would have believed that I’m in a high school teaching a stock market class now though. So essentially we were the youngest people there. It was a really good experience, I got to step back into my rockstar shoes.” Explained Berglund on his recent performance.

The Newz, which gained a small amount of national fame around the time of “Huey Lewis & the News” changed the “s” in their name to a “z” to try and differentiate themselves.

“It’s not like we weren’t famous, it’s just that we weren’t super famous. I mean we were on the radio in a couple of states, and we really were popular in some states but we never really got there. That was the reason that I wasn’t at school that day, and I really never miss school. It sets a bad example. Plus I mean I don’t really talk about being a musician, I don’t think the kids would appreciate it in the way that would make them think ‘wow Mr. B I didn’t know you used to be a rock star!’”

“This is definitely one of the most impressive things I’ve ever done, I mean it’s not everyday you get admitted to a hall of fame, I mean it’s not [The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland] but I mean it’s definitely still impressive.”