Bruce Lee. Jackie Chan. Jet Li. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They’ve got nothing on Sensei Pepper’s Martial Arts Club Band.
While many know of the Beatles phase of experimenting with mind-altering drugs, Indian philosophy and meditation, few know of their martial arts phase.
Their sensei at the time – Sensei Pepper – recalls in his inappropriately titled 1972 biography Within You, Without You: Lovely Rita, She’s Leaving Home: “It was just another Day in My Life when I first saw [the Beatles]. I was Fixing a Hole in the dojo when they approached. After exchanging pleasantries – Good Morning, Good Morning – and some smalltalk, I immediately knew that within a year – When I’m Sixty-Four – and With a Little Help From My Friends, I could transform them into a formidable fighting machine.”
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band gets ninja-fied.
