received by the audience and by other attending musicians, including Mick Jagger. In spite of this, the band went on playing their live set in local pubs and festivals, but were received coldly and ignored by the press. In an interview with Melody Maker, Ian Paice explained that their lack of touring and promotion in England was due to the low wages they were offered and to the fact that they had very few danceable numbers to attract audience. He stressed that "we make a point of warning promoters that we are not a dancing group." Waiting to start their first US tour and in need of new material to be offered on the American market and to beef up their live show, the band returned to the studio with producer Derek Lawrence to record their second album, The Book of Taliesyn, in August 1968. The new album was recorded before the release of Shades of Deep Purple in the UK. By October, Deep Purple set off to the States to start their US tour. The success of "Hush" was a giant boost in America and from their first gigs they received all the attention they had not been given in England. The first dates were at The Inglewood Forum on 18 and 19 October 1968, supporting Cream in their farewell tour. A recording of those live performances was released in 2002 with the title Inglewood – Live in California. The band played at many different locations, including festivals, bars and even at the Playboy After Dark TV show, alongside Hugh Hefner and a bunch of dancing women. The songs of this album were performed regularly by the Mk. I formation of Deep Purple, but only "Hush", "Help!" and "Hey Joe" found space for a limited time in the live shows of the Mk. II line-up in 1969. However, "Mandrake Root", in an expanded and mainly instrumental version, was a staple in Mk. II live shows up until 1972, and the instrumental sections of the song survived even longer, being annexed to live versions of the Machine Head recording "Space Truckin'". The opening chords of "And the Address" were used into the Mk. II era as an introduction to the song "Speed King". "Hush" was re-recorded in 1988 and is still an integral part of the live set of the current formation of the band. Critical reception Reception of the