Movie soundtrack has songs by Poway musician

Rick Harchol has seven songs on the soundtrack to “The Identical.”

BY EMILY SORENSEN

JULY 24, 2014 8:30 PM PT

By Emily Sorensen

You’ll be able to hear a Poway musician’s talent nationwide on a major movie soundtrack.

Rick Harchol, who has lived in Poway since the early 2000s, has seven songs featured on the soundtrack for “The Identical,” which comes out in 1,500 theaters nationwide on Sept. 5. “It’s really exciting,” said Harchol, who co-wrote and performed on the tracks with his musical partner Jimmy Carslake, who lives in La Jolla.

“The Identical” stars Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, Seth Green, Joey Pantoliano, Erin Cottrell and newcomer Blake Rayne. It tells the story of identical twins who are separated at birth during the Great Depression. One of them grows up to be a rock and roll star in the 1950s, and the other later chooses to perform the music of his unknown twin, before discovering that they are related.

“It’s a really good movie,” said Harchol, who was able to see a premiere of it in Nashville, “Very well done. It goes against the grain.” Harchol’s music is featured throughout the movie, including as the movie’s first song, and its closing credits. “I have the first and last songs in the movie, which is very cool.” His music is also featured in the movie’s trailer and on its website.

In addition to having seven songs on the movie’s soundtrack, Harchol and Carslake have five more songs that will be included on a companion album, “The Morph Kings,” that will be released alongside the movie’s soundtrack. Harchol described his music in the movie as “bluesy-rock.”

This isn’t Harchol’s first time writing music for movies, as he’s also been featured on the soundtracks in the 2010 release “Four Stories of St. Julian”; the 1993 film “Arcade” starring Megan Ward, Peter Billingsley and Seth Green; the 1994 movie “Dragon World” and 1987’s “Son of The Last Surf Movie.” This will be the first time, however, that a movie he’s had music on will be released in theaters and not straight to video.

He has also had music featured in programs produced by Harpo Productions, HBO, Discovery Channel, CMT, MTV and A&E, and has been signed to record deals twice, once to Atco/Atlantic Records with the San Diego band “Outlaw Blood,” and once to Vineyard Records with the San Diego band “The New Breed Worship Band.”

Harchol and Carslake wrote and recorded most of the songs in his home studio in Poway. “All the guitar parts, and most of the vocals were recorded in my bedroom studio,” said Harchol. The songs were then expanded upon by studio-hired musicians, who added drums and bass, amongst other instruments.

When he isn’t writing for movie soundtracks, Harchol keeps busy performing in a touring Rolling Stones tribute band, “The Ultimate Stones,” which was featured on the AXS TV show “World’s Greatest Tribute Bands.” He also performs in four different bands that play in bars around town.

He would love to make a full time career out of writing and recording music for movies, he said, which he can do out of his home studio in Poway. “I’d like to do more of that,” said Harchol. “I love performing but it’s nice to be home.”

To check out Harchol’s music and see a trailer for “The Identical,” visit www.theidenticalmovie.com.​