The musician Miikka Siira, known as Mike Bell, has died at the age of 45

as Mike Bell a well-known rock musician Miikka Siira has died at the age of 45.

Siira died of a sudden illness on Monday during the day, says her long-time friend Mikko Aaltonen HS:lle.

According to Aaltonen, Siira was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect ten years ago, for which she received strong medical treatment. The illness of a man who was outwardly in good health came as a surprise to those close to him.

Siira, who hails from Myllykoski, is an internationally known musician who, among other things, plays in the rockabilly band Mike Bell & The Belltones and the garage rock band The Mike Bell Cartel. Both bands actively toured.

Rockabilly was mostly played in Finland, garage rock also in Central Europe, Sweden and the USA.

Mike Bell & The Belltones last performed on Saturday in Mikkeli.

Aaltonen describes Siira as a hard worker who did not like to spread his musical achievements.

“He usually only modestly mentioned afterwards that something like this was coming,” Aaltonen describes.

According to Aaltonen, Siira was an exceptionally intelligent and hardworking song writer. In his last years, Siira was planning an Italian disco album and a pop album.

“A huge number of projects from him remained on the starting scaffolds. On the other hand, he also accomplished a lot,” says Aaltonen.

As a friend, Aaltonen describes Siira as “the easiest person in the world to be around”.

In an interview with HS in 2016, the musician described himself as a lone wolf for whom it is important to be allowed to follow his own creative paths.