Ropes N Riffs - Wrestling Entrance Themes, Wrestling and Music Stories

Ropes N Riffs - Wrestling Entrance Themes, Wrestling and Music Stories

byThe Ropes N Riffs Podcast

InterviewsMusicCommentarySportsWrestling

About The Host: John Kiernan is a wrestling entrance theme song composer with over 150 themes written for wrestlers in various promotions such as NJPW, WWE, ROH, MLW, and many more. As a professional musician, a veteran in the podcasting space, an avid pro wrestling fan and wrestling personality by way of creating the soundtracks for your favorite wrestlers, John Kiernan forges his latest podcasting venture into diving into stories of music, stories from the road, and wrestling from all walks of life from your (and his) favorites of all time.

Episodes(40 episodes)

Episode 25
Mark Crozer on Bray Wyatt Theme, Live In Fear, Performing at Wrestlemania 30, Live In Fear Versions
HI everyone!Many of you know how important Bray Wyatt was to me as a wrestling fan. For years, Bray's entrance theme Live In Fear resonated with so many of us, as it was the perfect theme for the Wyatt Family and Bray at large. I got the opportunity to sit down with the man behind the theme, Mark Crozer, and talk about how his song Broken Out Of Love became the anthem that Wyndham Rotunda would walk out to with his family over the years, his thoughts on the adaptations done by names such as Code...
Published: Sep 23, 2025Duration: 34m 20s
Episode 24
David Bartolomé and Will Scarr on Their Favorite Entrance Theme Covers, Original Themes, WWE and AEW
You've been hearing them all over TikTok, Instagram, and probably your favorite wrestler's profiles! They've been creating banger covers of entrance themes, ripping up their own versions, and they were able to carve out some time to chat with me about their favorite entrance themes! Will Scarr and David Bartolomé chat with me all about how they started working together, their favorite renditions they've produced, and the love and support they've been shown from the wrestling community. Enjoy!-🔔Subscribe To The Show! https://www.youtube.com/@ropesnriffs?sub_confirmation=1<p...
Published: Sep 22, 2025Duration: 33m 40s
Episode 23
Zaheer on Writing Nick Aldis Entrance Theme, Brian Cage Entrance Theme, Working Out With Brian Cage
Zaheer is a composer and producer based in the UK and boy howdy, is he awesome! He's worked with Brian Cage, Nick Aldis, Mickie James, and so many more of your favorites. How'd he get started in writing wrestling entrance themes? Will we be collaborating on something soon? He also wrestles? HE WORKED OUT WITH BRIAN CAGE? All that and more on this episode. I also challenge Zaheer to our new segment called Music City Rumble, where I ask musicians and wrestlers to book their favorite musicians in a men's match, a women's match, and...
Published: Sep 12, 2025Duration: 53m 28s
Episode 22
Jaret Reddick of Bowling For Soup on Alexa Bliss, Being an Honorary Von Erich, One Billion Streams
Hi everyone!Bowling For Soup has been one of my favorite bands for YEARS now and I got the opportunity to speak with Jaret Reddick...right when Bowling For Soup hit 1 Billion streams! It's an unbelievable feat and we talk all about they got there. We also talk all about Jaret's pro wrestling background from being named an official VON ERICH by KEVIN VON ERICH HIMSELF (dude) and how his son getting into wrestling led him to writing a song for Alexa Bliss. We talk about the legacy of Bowling For Soup, their music being...
Published: Sep 9, 2025Duration: 45m 20s
Episode 21
Pulley's Scott Radinsky on Their Upcoming Split EP with Fire Sale, Being in Pulley for 40+ Years
Hi everyone!If you'd have told me in my formative years that I'd get to have a conversation with Pulley's Scott Radinsky, I'd have told you you're absolutely off you're rocker. But on today's episode, that's exactly what happened (no one fell off their rocker, but you get me).On today's episode, Scott from Pulley and I talk about their upcoming split EP with Punk Rock supergroup Fire Sale (who include former members of Face to Face, No Use For A Name and The Ataris) called Split Personality and break down each track of theirs...
Published: Sep 2, 2025Duration: 20m 1s
Episode 20
Christina Rotondo on Dr Who Goblin Song, Liz Lizardine, Interstellar Song Contest, Roblox
Hi guys! On this episode, I speak with Christina Rotondo, a versatile musician from the United Kingdom. Christina Rotondo was the voice Janis Goblin in Doctor Who's "The Church on Ruby Road" episode, as well as appeared on screen as Liz Lizardine in The Interstellar Song Contest. She's also lent her musical prowess to the song "Let Go" from Roblox (after Piggy...I don't know what that means as I'm not knowledgeable about Roblox LOL). Discover how she continues to thrive in the music industry by performing covers, playing at weddings, and...
Published: Aug 5, 2025Duration: 51m 1s
Episode 19
The Yagas on The Making of Midnight Minuet, Ozzy, The Rock Academy, Vera Farminga Tracking Pendulum
For those of you who know me, I'm a huge fan of horror movies and especially the storytelling in The Conjuring series. So imagine my surprise when I see a post on MetalSucks that says something like Vera Farmiga Starts a Metal Band! Firstly...WHAT. Second, we gotta get The Yagas on the show to have a conversation. I got the opportunity to speak with Jason Bowman and Renn Hawkey from The Yagas about their new album, the formation of their band through Jason's music school Rock Academy, and the creative process behind...
Published: Jul 28, 2025Duration: 28m 22s
Episode 18
THESE WOLVES Darren Fisher on Entrance Themes, MJF's Entrance Theme, Hangman Page's Dead To Rights
Hi guys!I'm really excited to have sat down with by buddy Darren Fisher, also known as THESE WOLVES. He's a talented composer known for his work on wrestling music, including his popular rendition of MJF's AEW theme Better Than You and his cover of Hangman Page's theme, Dead To Rights. We discuss the intersection of wrestling and music, the creative process behind composing themes, and the impact of music on wrestling culture. Darren shares his experiences filming wrestling matches, collaborating with other musicians, and the challenges of storytelling through music. Our...
Published: Jul 20, 2025Duration: 51m 0s
Episode 17
Javi on His Time In NXT and Evolve, Writing His Own Entrance Theme, Metalcore In Wrestling
🔔 Subscribe To The Show! https://www.youtube.com/@ropesnriffs?sub_confirmation=1💰Support the show via PayPal! https://paypal.me/ropesnriffs📣$10 or more will get you shouted out on the next episode!Javi, formerly Javier Bernal in WWE NXT and Evolve, and wrestling entrance theme song composer John Kiernan explore the intersection of metalcore music and wrestling, discussing Javi's influences, his journey of self-discovery, and the importance of community in both fields. They delve into Javi's his time at NXT and Evolve, his experiences with injuries, and how h...
Published: Jun 10, 2025Duration: 48m 37s
Episode 16
Ben Eller on Playing with Mastodon, Retro Entrance Music, Tool's Adam Jones on Penta Entrance Theme
Hi guys! I, your resident wrestling entrance theme composer John Kiernan interviews the one and only Uncle Ben, Ben Eller! Ben is a guitarist known for his recent performance with Mastodon and his unbelievable YouTube guitar channel. We discuss Ben's recent experience playing with Mastodon, the challenges of learning their songs, and the evolution of the band's music. The conversation also delves into the influence of wrestling in the South, 80's and 90's wrestling, Ben's early memories of wrestling, and the significance of entrance themes in wrestling. We also explore the creative process behind writing themes, the...
Published: May 26, 2025Duration: 1h 8m 58s
Episode 15
Eric Young on His Entrance Music for Violent By Design, Sanity, NXT, and His Show Vinyl Obsession
Wrestling entrance theme song composer John Kiernan speaks with TNA Wrestling's Eric Young about his passion for music, particularly vinyl records, and the significance of entrance themes in wrestling. They discuss the evolution of Sanity's entrance theme in NXT, Violent By Design's theme, and the collaborative process throughout his wrestling career working with Dale Oliver and more. They also talk about memorable guests on Young's show 'Vinyl Obsession', the ritual of vinyl collecting, and the collaborative process of creating entrance themes that resonate with wrestlers' characters.Young shares insights on the importance...
Published: May 13, 2025Duration: 1h 1m 23s
Episode 14
Josiah Williams (Wrestle And Flow) on Naomi's Entrance Theme, Taya Valkyrie's Theme, Creativity
John Kiernan speaks with Josiah Williams, known as Wrestle And Flow, about his journey in creating wrestling entrance themes. They discuss the creative process behind these themes, the importance of presentation, and the trial and error involved in content creation. Josiah shares insights on working with various talents, including Aleister Black (formerly Malakai Black), Taya Valkyrie, and Naomi, and emphasizes the significance of lyrics in entrance themes. The discussion also touches on collaboration within the wrestling music industry and the evolution of themes over time.-🔔Subscribe To The Show! https://www.youtube.com/@ropesnriffs?sub...
Published: May 5, 2025Duration: 46m 28s
Episode 13
Monteasy on Writing Sammy Guevara's Theme, Working with John Kiernan, Wrestling Entrance Themes
Monteasy discuss the intricacies of creating wrestling entrance themes, the importance of camaraderie in the music industry, and the strategies that have led to Monteasy's success. They explore the significance of building relationships, the power of word-of-mouth promotion, and the need for innovation in the evolving landscape of wrestling music. Monteasy shares his journey, insights on collaboration, and advice for aspiring musicians in the wrestling community. In this conversation, Monteasy discusses the importance of collaboration in the hip hop industry, emphasizing that everyone contributes uniquely to the culture. He shares insights on the necessity of reinventing oneself...
Published: Apr 29, 2025Duration: 1h 26m 22s
Episode 12
Vicki Venuto AKA Vicious Vicki on Working With Downstait, Linkin Park, Her TNA Debut, PWI Ranking
Vicki Venuto, also known as Vicious Vicki shares her journey through the wrestling world, her experiences with TNA, and how wrestling entrance theme song composer John Kiernan and her worked on her first theme, then she worked with entrance theme song legends Downstait on her current entrance theme.Vicki and John discuss her character evolution, the influence of Linkin Park on her life, and her aspirations for the future. Vicki emphasizes the importance of being open and vulnerable in her career, connecting with fans through her personal story and struggles. The conversation highlights her recognition in the...
Published: Mar 12, 2025Duration: 47m 35s
Episode 11
Downstait's Zack Call on Cody Rhodes Theme, Indi Hartwell Theme, Wrestling Entrance Themes
John Kiernan and Zack from wrestling entrance theme Downstait discuss their collaborative process in creating wrestling themes, the impact of their music in the wrestling industry, and the evolution of wrestler's themes over time. They highlight their work with various wrestlers, including the new entrance theme for Indi Hartwell called Hart Won't Quit, Cody Rhodes now iconic entrance theme, Kingdom, as well as the theme that John Kiernan and Downstait worked on together for Matt Cardona and Brian Myers for their Major Players tag team, Major Players. Zack and John also talk...
Published: Feb 27, 2025Duration: 52m 18s
Episode 10
Marty Friedman on Playing Tanahashi To The Ring For NJPW for Wrestle Kingdom 8, His New Album Drama
Guitar legend Marty Friedman shares his experiences in music and wrestling, particularly his memorable performance playing Tanahashi to the ring at NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom 8 against Shinsuke Nakamura. He discusses the importance of entrance themes in wrestling, the preparation involved in live performances, and the connection between music and wrestling. The conversation also delves into the differences between Japanese and Western music influences, culminating in a discussion about his latest album, Drama, which he describes as a culmination of his artistic journey.-🔔Subscribe To The Show! https://www.youtube.com/@ropesnriffs?sub_confirmation=1<...
Published: Feb 2, 2025Duration: 30m 30s
Episode 9
PJ Black on His Favorite Theme, Friendship with Bray Wyatt, Lucha Underground, WWE Entrance Music
PJ Black, known for his dynamic wrestling career and innovative entrance themes, discusses his journey through the wrestling industry, focusing on his musical influences and character development. From his early days in WWE to the evolution of his persona into Dr. Black, PJ shares insights into the creative process behind his entrance themes such as You Will Believe In Me, the importance of character in wrestling, and the impact of social media on modern wrestling storytelling. He reflects on his friendship with Bray Wyatt and the collaborative nature of wrestling creativity, emphasizing the need for unique and...
Published: Jan 28, 2025Duration: 58m 49s
Episode 8
Reby Hardy on Broken Hardys Bound For Glory Entrance, Bray Wyatt Piano Version, Music In Her Life
🔔Subscribe To The Show! https://www.youtube.com/@ropesnriffs?sub_confirmation=1Reby Hardy and John Kiernan talk about Reby's unique journey through music and wrestling, discussing her classical piano upbringing, her pivotal role in the Broken and Woken Universes, and the creative processes behind her performances. Reby discusses her Bound For Glory live entrance performance for Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy with the Broken Universe, her aspirations for future music projects, and the influence of her eclectic musical tastes. Reby and John also talk about what went into creating her heart wrenching piano version of Bra...
Published: Jan 20, 2025Duration: 38m 22s
Episode 7
Adam Page Theme Composer Vincent Pedulla on Hangman Adam Page, Composing for Netflix, Serj Tankian
Adam Page's AEW theme song composer Vincent Pedulla discuss the intricacies of creating entrance music for professional wrestlers. They explore Vincent's diverse background in music composition across various media, the evolution of Adam Page's themes from Ghost Town Triumph to Black Hat, and the essential elements that make Adam Page's theme resonate with audiences. The discussion also touches on the emotional impact of music in wrestling and how it reflects the character's journey. John Kiernan and Vincent Pedulla explore the intricate relationship between music composition and wrestling themes, particularly focusing on the evolution of Hangman Adam Page's...
Published: Jan 10, 2025Duration: 44m 31s
Episode 6
Emily Whitehurst on Tsunami Bomb, Survival Guide, Her New Cocktail Drinks Book, Twitch and Patreon
🔔Subscribe To The Show! https://www.youtube.com/@ropesnriffs?sub_confirmation=1John Kiernan interviews Emily Whitehurst, formerly Agent M of Tsunami Bomb, a multifaceted artist known for her solo project, Survival Guide. They discuss Emily's new cocktail book, Death Drinks, which pairs cocktails with songs from her album Death Dreams. The conversation delves into her creative process, the evolution of her music, and her experiences transitioning from a band member to a solo artist. Emily shares insights on her favorite instruments, unique soundscapes, and the challenges of live performances in the modern music landscape. In thi...
Published: Dec 28, 2024Duration: 53m 15s