A couple of years ago in a galaxy very, very nearby (OK, it's this one), a Web developer who does contract work for the U.S. Air Force filmed himself playing the "Star Wars" theme song on his banjo.

The banjo player, Will Chatham, from Asheville, N.C., posted the video to YouTube. It amassed 1.5 million hits, 8,000 comments, numerous blog-post references and an offer to play a gig at Lucasfilm's 30th anniversary "Star Wars" party. Oh, plus one notice of copyright infringement.

The notice landed last week, making Chatham one of many casualties of the falling out between Warner Music Group and YouTube. It began last month with music videos from such major acts as Linkin Park and rapper T.I. disappearing from the video portal, then quickly escalated.

Warner, it appears, didn't even warn some of its own bands before pulling clips. Social news website Reddit pointed out that pop rockers Death Cab for Cutie were left with egg on their faces, when links on the band's website began pointing to copyright-infringement notices on YouTube instead of the music videos that once stood in their place. The band's webmaster has since removed the links.

Chatham, who plays in a bluegrass group called the Whappers (no, they're not signed to Warner), is fighting back. Since receiving the e-mail from YouTube regarding Warner's claim, Chatham has filled out copyright counterclaim papers. If Warner doesn't respond within 10 days, YouTube may put the banjo video back online, according to a YouTube support page.

He says he can't understand how the innocent clip of him playing his cover version on a couch -- a video that was once chosen by YouTube to be featured on its home page -- could be illegal.

"It's me just sitting there, playing on my banjo," he said. "If someone actually stopped and looked at it, they would be like, Oh, well, that's just some guy being silly."

Neither Warner, nor the company's lawyer, nor YouTube would ...