The Ready Set talks with Kidsday
Kidsday reporters , Sofia Gonell, Lauren Barnes, Gionna Altebrando and Hanna Totillo, all from North Country Road Middle School in Miller Place with singer Jordan Mark Witzigreuter a/k/a The Ready Set, at the Grammercy Theater in Manhattan, (Nov. 6, 2014) Credit: Kidsday / Pat Mullooly
We went to the Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan recently to meet with Jordan Mark Witzigreuter, better know as The Ready Set. He had a concert that night, but before the show we sat in on a private acoustic set in the theater.
When you were writing your song "Freakin' Me Out," was there really something that was freaking you out?
I don't know. Maybe. I don't really remember. I think I just sort of made up a story and like a situation and sort of went from there. Just applied myself, too, a little bit.
Was it easier writing a song or gettinsg an idea for the music video?
Definitely writing a song is a lot easier. I had a hard time thinking of ideas for the video because it's like there's so many things you can do that kind of interpret the song or go along with it.
Why did you decide to sing solo?
I think it was just easier for me to write music that way and I couldn't really find anyone else who wanted to be in this type of a band.
What is your favorite song you sing?
It's tough. There's not really one I don't like singing. I think for me it's more about which ones other people enjoy the most at shows. Whichever songs that people kind of like go the craziest to are my favorites. So I like playing "Higher" which is one and "Give Me Your Hand." It's really just what gets the best reaction.
Did you ever think about giving up in your career?
No. I've been discouraged about a few things here and there, but usually I find that those things are really important -- the negative things that happen -- because it makes good things that happen a lot more, I guess, enjoyable and good.
If you were not a singer, what would you be?
I like to write songs for other people as well, so that's probably what I would do if I wasn't doing this.
When you were told "Give Me Your Hand (Best Song Ever)" was going to be used in a soundtrack for the film "Escape from Planet Earth" and "The Smurfs 2," what was your reaction?
It was kind of like I heard about it may be happening and I was like, 'Oh that's kind of cool.' I hadn't heard of the "Escape from Planet Earth" thing before and was like way in advance before the movie came out and I was like that might be a cool thing if it happens and randomly I actually didn't know and I didn't realize that it was actually the real thing until I heard it on the commercial. It's always crazy to accidentally hear your song somewhere where you don't expect it.
