The people behind the Kaiser Chiefs and Primal Scream are backing a new website that allows music fans to invest financially as well as emotionally in hotly tipped new acts. You mean slicethepie.com? Why, n o. This “new” venture dreamed up by a music business lawyer (brilliant) and backed by the founder of Friends Reunited. Bandstocks lets you buy a stake in an artist in £10 slices. Once funding reaches a certain level, for example £100,000, the money will be released for the act to record an album – and you even get a credit in the sleeve notes. So what? Those of you considering a career in the music business will have already watched our incomprehensible advice videos from the head of marketing at Warner International. The fragrant Matthieu says you have to show some kind of interest in the biz to get a job inside – if you haven’t got the time to manage a band or set up a fanzine (his suggestions) do this. Hell, you’ll be putting your money where your mouth is and that’s a rarity in today’s music industry. Right, kids?! 

Last week, I picked up on a story that M&S was looking at proposals to cut its redundancy payouts by 25% for its 70,000 staff. It caught my eye because a shift in policy in favour of the employer often is a sign that a swathe of axe swinging is round the corner. It was an M&S employee who blew the whistle on the firm’s plans, and now that man has been called to a disciplinary hearing next Monday to have his botty smacked. But why? The company confirmed that it was consulting staff about cutting the level of redundancy payments, which would limit maximum payouts from 72 weeks to 52 weeks – though they are keen to point out that this package still puts them ahead of their competitors. If you do go chasing their attractive grad packages, its worth remembering, what goes on tour, stays on tour. Big brother is watching. And wearing pants from the Per Uno range.

“Come on you gotta’ listen unto me: lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be.” The advice of Johnny Cash. My advice is equally salient: “Get a job with Aggreko the Scottish mobile power firm.” How many more times have I got to sing it?! My favorite bravehearts are back in the press having one the deal to provide power for the construction of the London 2012 Olympic Village. 150 staff have just successfully completed the £22m contract of supplying power to 37 venues at the Olympic Games in Beijing, helping to raise their half year profits by a credit crunch wedgy-ing 43% to nearly £70m. Aggreko now has a presence in 29 countries and employs more than 2,200 people. For heaven’s sake, get out the whiskey (but not the cocaine) and be one of them!

Who do you think the new face of Harvey Nichols is? Peaches Geldof? Zara Philips? Mark Ronson? No, its someone more attractive than any of them: Wallace and Gromit. The new ads have been created by DDB London for the opening of HN’s new Bristol store. The pictures show Wallace in a Dolce and Gabbana fitted shirt and an Alexander McQueen cashmere jacket, while Gromit wears a Paul Smith scarf. Sean Clarke, head of marketing and licensing at animators Aardman, bleated: “I think it only fitting that W&G a great British institution celebrate another institution in retailing Harvey Nichols coming to Bristol.” Then he picked up his cheque and fcuked off down the pub.

I’ve long trumpeted the exciting possibilities that come with an engineering degree: remote controlled Jet Skis or electric marzipan shoes. But no one wants to get stuck in. Now my old friend and vacuum cleaner botherer, James Dyson is also warning that Britain faces an engineering skills crisis. He’s not alone; engineering firms yesterday told the BBC that they are struggling to recruit school leavers because of an outdated image of manufacturing among teachers. Sarah Morris, of the CBI said that over 2m UK engineering jobs will be created in the next four years. “We’re calling on the government to invest a modest £120m in specific careers advice, to show young people exactly how promising a career in engineering can be. If we don’t do something, Britain will lose these jobs to foreign competitors.” Mobilise workmates - don’t give in to the hun!