Markku Valtonen was a well-known musician, playing the guitar in the rock band Kelpo Pojat. The band produced several albums.
Serious alcohol and drug problems led to epilepsy and rheumatism. Away from the band Markku Valtonen began carving wooden figures. Several of his life-size sculptures are on permanent display in the Serlachius Museum in Mänttä (central Finland), which exhibited an extensive selection of his smaller works last year.