Gladdy Wax

Mr Vinyl Fingers

The legendary Gladdy Wax, aka Mr Vinyl Fingers, is one of the UK’s most highly re­spected revival selectors and reggae sound system operators. He has a seriously deep record collection but, more im­port­antly, is a passionate entertainer and selector par excellence.

Gladdy’s attention to detail is unrivalled: from the warmth of his sound system to his gold record centres and trademark white gloves.

Gladdy Wax Sound System

The mighty Gladdy Wax sound system regularly plays at high-profile festivals and events across the country, with the biggest being London’s Notting Hill Carnival​—​widely cited as being the second largest street carnival in the world.

With a regular spot on the Portobello Road (near the corner of Golborne Road), Gladdy Wax has been enter­tain­ing the masses at Carnival for over 35 years.

Gladdy at Carnival

Although best known as a selector, Gladdy’s talents extend to singing and dee­jaying. His latest re­cording, aptly titled Gladdy At Carnival, was re­leased in 2021—as both an MP3 and a 7" vinyl 45rpm (paired with Carroll Thompson’s Dance With Me).

Wax Unlimited

Gladdy Wax came to the UK as a teen­ager in the mid-1960s. He went on to DJ for Birmingham’s Quaker City sound in the 1970s and re­leased several records in the 1980s under the names Gladwin Wright and Glady Wax.

After relocating to London, Gladdy’s fame grew thanks to his community radio shows and live ap­pear­ances. In the early 1990s, he opened a record shop in Stoke Newington called Wax Unlimited. This north London institution became a popular community hub until its closure in 2006.