Pilson was a member of heavy metal bands Dokken and Dio. He currently has his own progressive metal group called War and Peace, which was formed in 1993, releasing two albums: 1993's War and Peace and 2004's The Walls Have Eyes. He also works with his ex-Dokken bandmate, guitarist George Lynch in a two-member group called Lynch/Pilson. Pilson is currently the bassist for Foreigner. He joined the band in 2004. He has currently done the voice for Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat (2011).