We're a week into October, and just over 3 weeks away from Iceland Airwaves 2012 the greatest music festival in the world, so the preview starts here. This blog will shortly leap into full swing. The interviewing season is well under way, a little slower than some years but I'm into double figures now – they will start appearing in the next week.

It's also the time when I start doing, inevitably, 2 mainly pointless things:

1. I go over the timetable (on-venue and off-venue) in meticulous detail. There's no point, plans go out of the window, something else happens and it will probably be better. The best advice  ever for Iceland Airwaves is to go with the flow. Sure, have those 3 or so bands you MUST see, but don't worry too much about the rest. You'll find the good stuff.
2. I listen to every single overseas act booked to play. Now, this isn't a total waste of time. Iceland Airwaves has a very fine track record in booking some interesting acts from all over the place, but when it comes to a choice I'm probably going to pick those Icelandic teenagers in bow ties over the bunch of Brooklyn dudes. It's served me well over the years.

So, yeah, a lot more soon – interviews and advice for Iceland Airwaves 2012 from me and the bands and of course a load of reviews and more instant thoughts on twitter.  For now, last year's advice is here and last year's main review is here.

My first advice, always, is to get a copy of the fabulous Reykjavik Grapevine and their excellent festival guide. They seem to have made the very sound decision to give Mr Bob Cluness more column inches this year, the man knows his music as well as he knows his beer.

The festival guide, with full timetables and artist profiles can be found here…