By the 1960’s, the college campus revival of Dixieland was over. Popular music had moved-on to Rock and Roll and Rhythm and Blues. During this period rock bands tended to be the most common entertainment at the Prospect Street house parties.

The Prospective Sound was formed in 1967 by William R. Hershey '70. He drafted members of the University Orchestra, Triangle Club, and a contemporaneous rock-n-roll band known as Occam's Razor. The Prospective Sound had a big-band instrument line-up. The name “PROSPECT…ive” derives from Prospect Street. Prospect Street runs to the North of the Princeton Campus and is the location of the Princeton Eating Clubs. The Princeton Eating Clubs are a reliable market for student bands to perform on football weekends and house parties.

Prospective Sound performance activity level peaked in 1969 and 1970. The band ceased operations after William Hershey graduated.

Bill Hershey ’70 - Trumpet and Leader, Hal White ’72 - Trumpet (deceased 2012), Stu Bentkover ’70 - Trumpet, Don Hershey ’73 - Trumpet, Rick Bringhurst ’70 - Trombone, Carlos King ’72 - Trombone, Scot Butler ’74 - Trombone, Ted Hall ’70 - Trombone, Dane Zabriskie ’72 - Sax, Dave Hingston ’72 - Sax, Jim McDonald ’70 - Sax, Ed Holland ’71 - Sax, Bill Lutin ’73 - Sax, Dave Pentecost ‘72 - Drums, Dan Trifan ’73 - Electric Bass, Jim Meserow ’73 - Piano and Organ.

The Prospective Sound recorded a live concert at Alexander Hall in March 1970 during William Hershey's senior year. The concert was privately published as a stereo 12-inch 33 1/3 RPM LP titled The Prospective Sound. The album liner notes were written by Milton Babbitt, a pioneer in electronic music, who was at the time on the faculty of the Music Department.

The choice of tracks on the record indicates how the Prospective Sound represents a transitional period of the popular musical styles. Tracks include Swing Era standards, Broadway show tunes, and the Beatles arranged for stage band.

The recording featured here is "Intermission Riff."