 During the turbulent times of the late 1960s, with the rioting and antiwar protests of the period, Robert served in the National Guard in Washington, D.C. "I didn't want to be sent to Vietnam," he recalls.Gordon moved to New York City in 1970 and a few years later joined a punk rock band there known as the Tuff Darts.During 1976, the Tuff Darts recorded "All for the Love of Rock and Roll", "Head over Heels", and "Slash" for a compilation album called "Live at CBGB's", which included a number of other local New York City bands.