Interview with Misha Mansoor of Periphery – Don’t Forget It’s Supposed to Be Fun

Periphery, Bulb, Haunted Shores, Of Man Not Machine, GGD, Horizon Devices, 3DOT, only to name a few; This guy has done it all! Of course, we’re talking about the incredible Misha Mansoor, who agreed to hang out with us for a bit at the Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, Connecticut and talk all about music, gear, various business ventures, and turning your hobby into a career. Remember, music is about having fun — and so was this interview! Check it out here.

Misha has been a fan of Peavy amps for a long time. Back in 2017, he even got to design a signature Peavey amp, which he named the Invective.

The Peavey Invective is a ridiculously modded three-channel amp built to Misha’s exact specifications. He loved the gain of the EVH 5150 (who doesn’t?), but he didn’t like that it was lacking a good clean channel.

The Invective’s effects loops are also designed to provide a very even and flat response, perfect for amp modelers and multi-effects. According to Misha, it’s perhaps the best amp out there to work with modelers.

Misha said the goal for the amp was to need fewer pedals and not carry around as many things. With a three-channel amp that can power pedals, the Invective might just be the perfect all-in-one amp for any type of guitarist. It also comes in combo and lunchbox mini versions, if you don't feel the need to blow up your practice room. 

Now, if you peruse Merriam-Webster, Invective means, “insulting, abusive, or highly critical language.” Doesn’t that sound absolutely perfect for a high-gain amp used for a prog-metal band like Periphery? So, is Misha an expert with the English language? Maybe, but that’s not really where the amp got its name. It’s actually a shotgun from the video game Destiny — which Misha was into in 2017.

Misha has a lot of hobbies. A lot… Not only is he an amazing songwriter and guitarist, but he’s also a producer, car collector, gamer, cat lover, amp collector, and much, much more. And if he had to give advice to any young people out there who want to turn their hobbies into careers, Misha says the most important thing to keep in mind is “Don’t forget that it’s supposed to be fun.”

You might think writing and playing songs for a living is a dream come true — and it definitely is. But Misha said that a lot of the enjoyment about music, or any hobby for that matter, is that it’s “because you GET to do it, not because you HAVE to do it. The second you have to do it then it’s not fun anymore.”

Misha admitted that there was a point when Periphery was getting big and became his full-time job that it hurt his relationship with music. But luckily, the members of Periphery went into it with the belief that there wasn’t much money in progressive metal, so they all had additional streams of income. Once music became more of a “have to do” rather than a “want to do,” they all started to diversify. Now his “side hustles” are his main hustles, and Periphery is a side project once again. Music became the hobby it always was, and it was fun again.

At the end of the day, it’s just about doing what you enjoy. Don’t force it. “Everything has to be fueled by passion.” It has to make you feel something — which is a mindset that Misha takes with him throughout all his hobbies and jobs, including making amazing music gear. If it has his name attached, you can bet it’s because he genuinely loves it.

Misha has written a ton of music over the years. According to him, he’s ALWAYS writing. When he writes something cool, Periphery always gets first dibs. If the band can’t use something, then it goes toward GGD demos, video game soundtracks, or whatever else Misha happens to be working on at the time.

And if something doesn’t end up in a project, it goes into a drive for a later day. Misha told us that it’s always fun going back through his drives and relistening to old ideas — some of which might end up working for a current project. According to him, his drives are basically a bottomless pit of unreleased stuff that nobody has ever heard. You never know when it might come back out.

When it comes to writing with Periphery, the band has a rule that all members have to be present for writing sessions. It fosters the best collaboration, and there aren’t any surprises down the road. “When everyone is together, we can all get to the point where we’re all happy much faster.”

All members are also encouraged to comment on any part of the song. For example, the drummer might come up with a cool inflection or lyric the singer could use. Misha says that everyone in the band is really cool with getting their parts critiqued and changed without taking it personally. They just “follow the thread” and go where the song takes them. Because at the end of the day, it’s not about showing off your chops or building up your own ego; it’s about writing an amazing song.

Sure, he plays in a heavy prog-metal band, rocks a super high-gain amp, and throws around harsh words like “Invective,” but Misha Mansoor is definitely one of the coolest guys around, and we had a blast getting to hang out with him.

A huge thanks to Misha for taking time out of his busy, hobby-fueled schedule to talk to us. Good luck on landing that Final Fantasy soundtrack gig! And another big thanks to Peavey for hooking us up. If you’re ready to add a high-octane rock machine to your setup, definitely check out the lineup of Peavey amps right here at American Musical Supply. And for more content just like this, head on over to the AMS YouTube Channel and hit the “Subscribe” button. You won’t regret it!