Perhaps the real Luddites like Kid Rock and the surviving Beatles stand in a class of their own. But the rest ? including Kanye ? seem to eventually eat their hats. Or, tweet about their excessively opulent spending habits and gargantuan egos with gusto.

Those have been the dominant themes on @kanyewest, an account that is quickly careening towards 500,000 followers. Interspersed are a few nuggets of wisdom, though unfortunately, most followers have learned little in the past few days.

But this Twitter newbie is mildly amusing, and entertainment has value. “Up early in the morning taking meetings in Silicone Valley,” Kanye debuted, only to correct the subconscious spelling error moments later. And, moments after that, Kanye was dancing on the tables at Facebook in the physical world, all part of a show nobody can look away from.

That is a question that audioBoo (audioboo.fm) is now testing. The UK-based company just rallied a fresh investment round, as well as a partner group of radio-focused companies. The startup allows anyone to record and upload audio bits, and share those with the audioBoo community.

Beyond that, these audio bits are matched with images and geo-location details, and plugged into a network that allows following and Twitter-like interactivity. The concept is heavily tied into mobile apps, and plays well with a variety of social networks and delivery platforms like podcasting.

Interesting enough, but what about the cash? The latest backers include 4ip, an investment fund of Channel 4, as well as UBC Media and Imagination Technologies. TechCrunch Europe pegs the funding lift at 1.5 million pounds ($2.2 million). Additionally, Qualcomm chairman Sir Don Cruickshank is an angel who will be stepping into a Chairman role.

Despite the rush to connect and stay engaged with fans, plenty of artists have been wondering aloud whether the internet is stealing quality creative time.  That latest is Duran Duran bassist John Taylor, who recently discussed a number of issues created by the internet.  “When artists today are asked to Twitter their every thought, their every action, to record on video their every breath, their every performance, I believe they’re diluting their creative powers, their creative potency and the durability of their work,” Taylor stated, in a speech excerpt published by the BBC.

Taylor questions whether the art is suffering, a funny thought coming from an 80s pop superstar.  But Taylor also noted that fans are increasingly diving into the deep catalogs of yesteryear, a luxury unavailable to music fans of yore.  Sounds great, though Taylor surmises that listening to past gems could be shifting creative impulses away from the present.  “This relative lack of need for current, innovative culture can cause… the innovative culture to slow down, much as an assembly line in Detroit slows down and layoffs have to be made when the demand for a new model recedes,” Taylor continued.