Next To None

NEXT TO NONE, a musically diverse rock band grown in the musically rich Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania, features Max Portnoy on drums, Ryland Holland on guitar, Kris Rank on bass, and Thomas Cuce on keyboards and lead vocals. At the ages of only 12 and 13, the boys began writing their own music, preforming live and building a fan base here in PA. They have won the Ernie Balls Battle of the Bands which landed them a prime slot on Vans Warped Tour. They have also won the "Peoples Choice" award at the UBace Battle Of The Bands in Quakertown. Next To None has not only played many local show such as performances at Musicfest, Northampton County Fair, Mayfair, Liberty Music Fest and MANY other local venues but they have also done mini tours as support for bands such as The Winery Dogs and Adrenaline Mob within the East Coast area. Each member of the band brings his own musical styles and experiences, and they combine these elements to create a sound of their own, which is NEXT TO NONE!

Max Portnoy, born in New York, currently resides in Pennsylvania, where he takes part in his schools jazz, marching, and concert bands. Max began playing the drums at age 5 but got serious about his drumming by age 8. He realized that drumming would be his career during the many years of going on tour with his idol (and father), Mike Portnoy. He loves playing metal, rock, prog, and jazz on the drums. Max's musical taste is diverse; his favorite bands are Slipknot, Metallica, and Lamb of God. He has always loved writing original music and playing it with his friends. He also enjoys art and robotics. His favorite movies are Sean of the Dead, Jurassic Park, and Land of the Lost. Gaming is a hobby, and his favorites are Left 4 Dead, Minecraft, and League of Legends. While drumming is Max's #1 passion, he has a strong interest in filming. Max was accepted and plans to attend Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts and afterwards to attend a college for music and film, such as NYU or UCLA.

Ryland Jett Holland, a funny, laid-back teen, has a passion for music and spends most of his time playing or listening to music; he plays everything from classical to rock. Ryland has been playing the piano for most of his life, winning gold medals in competitions, playing with the Praise Team at church, and playing at dinner parties. He has been playing the guitar and the saxophone for several years. He is an artist who loves most forms of art, and he is also an athlete. Ryland has a brown belt in karate, and he plays football, basketball, and baseball. His football team was undefeated, and his basketball team recently won the championships. He surfs, swims, snorkels, standup paddleboards, and snowboards. He loves adventure and trying new foods. Ryland serves as Sunday School President. He is fluent in Spanish and volunteers at a Mexican orphanage.

Kris (Krank) Rank, began playing the electric guitar in 5th grade but switched to bass guitar when the foursome, which is Next To None, formed a band. Kris's musical preferences include rock and light metal, and his favorite groups are Shinedown and Avenged Sevenfold. He is a gamer, and Call of Duty, Need for Speed, and Minecraft are his top picks. His favorite book is The Hunger Games, and ribs are his favorite when it comes to food. His other interests include robotics, scary movies, tubing, knee boarding, and hanging with friends. He is active in church Youth activities. Kris is a National Junior Honor Society member, and he plans to attend college after high school.

Thomas Cuce, who has been playing the piano since he was 5, also plays the guitar and the bass. He is able to play for hours each day since he has been homeschooled since Kindergarten. Thomas plays entirely by ear due to the challenges (or gift) of dyslexia. At age 9, his musical gift was realized when, after seeing the Philadelphia Orchestra perform Star Wars theme songs, he replicated the songs within 3 days! He performs at retirement homes and for those who are shut in. In addition to playing music, Thomas plays baseball. His other main interest is science, specifically physics, mechanical engineering, computer programming, and robotics.