“It’s a Christmas song that tries to look beyond the tinsel. It’s a message of peace, a message of unity, a message of hope…”
Having been influenced by the likes of Garth Brooks, Springsteen and The Eagles, Pilch's hybrid sound is very reminiscent of that era. ‘[He] expertly blends genres like rock, gospel, and country, creating a unique and authentic musical style that is undeniably ‘Pilch’…” [Nashville Calling].
The North Londoner is a prominent figure in the UK country scene, having been a finalist in the ukcountryradio.com Song Awards two years running. Additionally, he contributed to the editorial team of ‘Acoustic Magazine’ for three years, showcasing his passion and dedication for music. Following his most recent releases, Further Down the Road, and Silence of your Love, Pilch now brings us a remastered version of his timeless Christmas song, Shine On.
Written with good friend Ralph Stringer, Shine On is a Christmas song that tries to look beyond the tinsel. It's a message of peace, a message of unity, a message of hope.
As a seasoned songwriter Pilch is used to rejection, but when punting this song around, one publisher’s response got under his skin. With that, he decided to open up and tell his story:
“So, this publisher comes back to me saying that whilst he liked the song, lyrically he didn’t need any of this ‘lefty pacifist crap’. Normally I’d let this kind of stuff go, but not this time, so I told him:
My Father was a Sergeant in the Grenadier Guards, my uncle was killed in Normandy, I had one cousin in the Paras, and another served 27 years in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. I myself tried to join the services when I left school but none of them would have me on account of my losing an eye in an accident as a child. I am not a pacifist; I know there are times when decent men must stand up and fight for the greater good, but I also know this. There is not a single mother who hasn’t yearned for peace as she watches her son go off to war, nor was there ever a soldier in a trench, waiting to go over the top, who didn’t dream of peace and the chance to go home.”
He kinda changed his tune and told me to look him up next time I was around….”