The Ropes N Riffs Podcast
Ropes N Riffs - Wrestling Entrance Themes, Wrestling and Music Stories
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.
Author
The Ropes N Riffs Podcast
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Jun 24, 2026
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Episodes
Jaret Reddick of Bowling For Soup on Alexa Bliss, Being an Honorary Von Erich, One Billion Streams 09.09.2025 45:20
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 gettin...
Pulley's Scott Radinsky on Their Upcoming Split EP with Fire Sale, Being in Pulley for 40+ Years 02.09.2025 20:01
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 i...
Christina Rotondo on Dr Who Goblin Song, Liz Lizardine, Interstellar Song Contest, Roblox 05.08.2025 51:01
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...
The Yagas on The Making of Midnight Minuet, Ozzy, The Rock Academy, Vera Farminga Tracking Pendulum 28.07.2025 28:22
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 abou...
THESE WOLVES Darren Fisher on Entrance Themes, MJF's Entrance Theme, Hangman Page's Dead To Rights 20.07.2025 51:00
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...
Javi on His Time In NXT and Evolve, Writing His Own Entrance Theme, Metalcore In Wrestling 10.06.2025 48:37
🔔 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,...
Ben Eller on Playing with Mastodon, Retro Entrance Music, Tool's Adam Jones on Penta Entrance Theme 26.05.2025 1:08:58
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...
Eric Young on His Entrance Music for Violent By Design, Sanity, NXT, and His Show Vinyl Obsession 13.05.2025 1:01:23
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 ta...
Josiah Williams (Wrestle And Flow) on Naomi's Entrance Theme, Taya Valkyrie's Theme, Creativity 05.05.2025 46:28
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,...
Monteasy on Writing Sammy Guevara's Theme, Working with John Kiernan, Wrestling Entrance Themes 29.04.2025 1:26:22
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 collabora...
Vicki Venuto AKA Vicious Vicki on Working With Downstait, Linkin Park, Her TNA Debut, PWI Ranking 12.03.2025 47:35
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 a...
Downstait's Zack Call on Cody Rhodes Theme, Indi Hartwell Theme, Wrestling Entrance Themes 27.02.2025 52:18
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, Kingd...
Marty Friedman on Playing Tanahashi To The Ring For NJPW for Wrestle Kingdom 8, His New Album Drama 02.02.2025 30:30
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 differ...
PJ Black on His Favorite Theme, Friendship with Bray Wyatt, Lucha Underground, WWE Entrance Music 28.01.2025 58:49
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 charac...
Reby Hardy on Broken Hardys Bound For Glory Entrance, Bray Wyatt Piano Version, Music In Her Life 20.01.2025 38:22
🔔Subscribe To The Show! https://www.youtube.com/@ropesnriffs?sub_confirmation=1 Reby 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 Ma...
Adam Page Theme Composer Vincent Pedulla on Hangman Adam Page, Composing for Netflix, Serj Tankian 10.01.2025 44:31
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...
Emily Whitehurst on Tsunami Bomb, Survival Guide, Her New Cocktail Drinks Book, Twitch and Patreon 28.12.2024 53:15
🔔Subscribe To The Show! https://www.youtube.com/@ropesnriffs?sub_confirmation=1 John 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 evolut...
Lince Dorado on Building his Lucha Lit Brand, His Entrance Theme, Working with WWE on His Theme, CWC 17.12.2024 1:00:10
🔔Subscribe To The Show! https://www.youtube.com/@ropesnriffs?sub_confirmation=1 🎧Listen anywhere you listen to podcasts: https://ropes-n-riffs.captivate.fm/listen Lince Dorado and John Kiernan delve into the significance of music in wrestling, exploring how themes contribute to character development and audience connection. They discuss the evolution of wrestling music, the disconnect between wr...
Mega Ran on Shelton Benjamin's AEW Theme, New Day Usos Rap Battle , Meeting Okada at WWE Raw 10.12.2024 38:57
🔔Subscribe To The Show! https://www.youtube.com/@ropesnriffs?sub_confirmation=1 Joining us today is none other than Mega Ran! Mega Ran is a multifaceted artist known for his work in music, wrestling themes, and education. John Kiernan and Mega Ran discuss his journey, his collaborations with wrestlers such as how MVP tapped him to rap on Shelton Benjamin's AEW theme, and how he navigates his dive...
Kevin Lacerda on Will Ospreay's Theme, Working with Mikey Rukus, Entrance Music, The Jericho Cruise 02.12.2024 1:01:53
Kevin Lacerda of It Lives, It Breathes and Damn Nation and John discuss...what else? Music in wrestling! Kevin talks about creating Will Ospreay's theme, Elevated, wanting to play Will Ospreay to the ring, as well as lending his voice to Action Andretti and Johnny TV's AEW entrance themes. Kevin also touches on getting to work with AEW music composer Mikey Rukus on those tracks and what his dream...
Donovan Dijak - Working with Mikey Rukus, His Entrance Themes, The Process of Entrance Music in WWE 27.11.2024 33:50
Donovan Dijak discusses his journey as a professional wrestler, focusing on the significance of entrance music in shaping his character and presentation. He shares insights into his creative process when selecting themes, the evolution of his character, and the collaboration with AEW entrance theme composer Mikey Rukus on his newest theme, "Capital Punishment". Dijak emphasizes the importance of c...
Mercedes Martinez on 24 Years In Wrestling, Her Entrance Themes, AEW, Snow Tha Product 25.11.2024 50:27
Mercedes Martinez reflects on her 24-year journey in wrestling, discussing the significance of entrance music, the evolution of her themes, and the importance of lyrics in connecting with fans. She shares insights into her musical influences, the collaborative process of creating tag team themes, and the critical role of timing in wrestling music. Mercedes emphasizes her gratitude for her career a...
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