What happens when an original MTV star marries someone who actually spent years making the kind of music MTV was built around? That is part of what makes Jordan Tarlow such an interesting figure.
Jordan Tarlow is an American musician, guitarist, producer, engineer and multi-instrumentalist best known to many people as the husband of Martha Quinn, one of MTV’s original video jockeys. But Jordan had a real music career of his own long before most people began searching his name because of Martha.
He played guitar with garage-rock band The Fuzztones, worked as a producer and engineer, and years later teamed up with Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Commerford for the experimental project Future User. Jordan has spent much of his career behind the music rather than chasing celebrity attention, which helps explain why so little is publicly known about his age and early life.
Jordan Tarlow Built His Identity Through Music
Jordan is not simply a celebrity spouse.
His professional history stretches across several areas of music.
He has worked as a guitarist.
He has sung backing vocals.
He has played electric sitar and keyboards.
He has produced and engineered recordings.
Later, he became involved with electronic music and programming.
This makes his career surprisingly varied.
Many musicians spend their entire lives connected with one particular sound.
Jordan did not.
His earlier career was strongly connected with garage rock and psychedelic music.
Decades later, he was working with synthesizers and experimental electronic ideas.
Jordan’s Early Life Remains Surprisingly Private
One of the biggest problems when researching Jordan is his birth information.
His exact date of birth is not reliably published by strong music databases.
Neither AllMusic nor IMDb provides a confirmed birthday for him.
That means claims online giving Jordan a specific age should be treated cautiously.
His birthplace is also not strongly documented.
Jordan is American, but there is not enough reliable public evidence to confidently provide a specific city where he was born.
The same problem applies to detailed stories about his childhood and education.
Jordan became known because of his work rather than because he spent his life discussing himself in interviews.
Is Jordan Tarlow the Son of Richard Tarlow?
Biographical records for advertising executive Richard J. Tarlow identify a son named Jordan.
Richard Tarlow built a career in advertising and worked with major companies.
However, because Jordan the musician does not have a detailed authoritative family biography publicly available, it is better to avoid presenting the connection as certain unless stronger records directly link the two identities.
This is a good example of why matching names is not enough.
Two records may appear to fit.
That does not automatically prove they describe the same family relationship.
For Jordan, his musical career is much more firmly documented than his childhood family tree.
The Fuzztones Became an Important Part of Jordan’s Career
Jordan’s best-documented early band connection is The Fuzztones.
The group was part of the garage-rock revival.
Their sound looked backward toward the raw garage and psychedelic music of the 1960s while bringing that style into a later generation.
The band had originally formed in New York.
After the original lineup changed, founder Rudi Protrudi relocated to Los Angeles and created another version of The Fuzztones.
Jordan became part of that lineup as lead guitarist.
The lineup also included bassist John Carlucci, organist Jason Savall and drummer Mike Czekaj.
Jordan Joined During the Los Angeles Fuzztones Era
Jordan became involved after Rudi Protrudi moved to Los Angeles in the late 1980s.
This was a major period for the band.
They toured extensively.
Their music continued developing internationally.
And they eventually secured a major-label recording agreement.
Jordan’s contribution went beyond simply playing guitar during concerts.
Recording credits show him involved in songwriting, production and other musical roles.
That makes him an important part of this specific chapter of The Fuzztones rather than a musician who briefly appeared on stage with them.
In Heat Shows How Much Jordan Contributed
The 1989 Fuzztones album In Heat is one of the strongest pieces of evidence showing Jordan’s range.
Music credits connect him with guitar, vocals, electric sitar, composing and production.
That is far more than one job.
The electric sitar is particularly interesting.
It helped add psychedelic textures that fit the band’s musical identity.
Jordan therefore contributed not only to the basic guitar sound but to the wider atmosphere of the recordings.
Those kinds of credits help explain why his later move toward production and electronic music was not as surprising as it might first seem.
He was already interested in what happened beyond ordinary guitar playing.
Jordan Also Worked Behind the Recording Console
Jordan’s music career repeatedly places him behind the scenes.
He has production and engineering credits.
This means he was interested in how music was recorded and shaped, not only how it was performed.
A producer can influence the overall direction of a recording.
An engineer deals more directly with capturing and shaping the sound.
Those skills became extremely important later in Jordan’s career.
When he started working with Tim Commerford, Jordan’s studio knowledge became one of the foundations of their collaboration.
Raw Heat Gave Old Jordan Tarlow Recordings a New Life
Jordan’s Fuzztones work remained relevant decades later.
In 2025, The Fuzztones released Raw Heat.
The release used original recordings created for what became the In Heat era.
The official release credits Jordan on Rickenbacker guitar and identifies the original sessions as being produced by Rudi Protrudi and Jordan.
That means recordings Jordan helped create in the late 1980s were still being released and discussed more than 35 years later.
It is a good reminder that a musician does not have to be constantly touring for his work to remain active.
Old recordings can find new audiences.
Jordan’s Career Was Not Limited to The Fuzztones
Jordan also accumulated other music credits.
AllMusic connects him with work involving Link Protrudi and the Jaymen.
He received remastering credits.
He worked as a guitar technician for L7.
He accumulated composer, engineering and production credits across different projects.
This variety suggests someone much more comfortable inside a recording studio than in celebrity interviews.
Again, the pattern is clear.
Jordan made things.
He did not spend much time publicly promoting Jordan Tarlow as a personality.
Then Jordan Met Tim Commerford
Years after his Fuzztones period, Jordan began another surprising musical chapter.
His collaborator was Tim Commerford.
Tim is best known as the bassist for Rage Against the Machine and later Audioslave.
Those bands are known for heavy guitar-driven music.
So when Jordan and Tim created Future User, fans might have expected another hard-rock band.
That is not what happened.
Future User became much more experimental.
Electronic music played a major role.
Synthesizers became important.
Programming became part of the sound.
Jordan’s studio skills were perfect for this new direction.
How Did Jordan Tarlow Meet Tim Commerford?
Their partnership developed through everyday proximity rather than a record-company introduction.
Tim lived near Jordan and his studio for a period.
They became friendly.
The idea of creating music together developed over time.
It did not immediately turn into a formal band.
But eventually the two began experimenting.
Jordan had recording equipment and older synthesizers.
Tim wanted to make music unlike the material for which he was already famous.
That combination became Future User.
Future User Was Designed to Sound Different
Future User intentionally moved away from expectations.
Tim was famous for aggressive bass and rock music.
Jordan had spent years playing psychedelic garage guitar.
Yet their new project leaned heavily toward electronic and progressive sounds.
Jordan worked as a multi-instrumentalist.
He handled keyboards and programming.
He also played a major part in production and engineering.
The project allowed him to use skills that had been present throughout his earlier career but were less obvious when people simply called him a guitarist.
Jordan Had an Important Home Studio
Jordan’s studio was central to Future User.
Tim publicly praised Jordan’s abilities as an engineer and producer.
Jordan also had older synthesizers available.
Some required repair before they could properly use them.
This helped shape the unusual sound they wanted.
Rather than relying completely on modern computer presets, the project incorporated older electronic equipment and distinctive textures.
For Jordan, this was a very different world from the fuzzy garage guitar of the late 1980s.
But the creative thinking remained similar.
He was still interested in unusual sound.
Future User Released #SteroidsOrHeroin
Future User released the album #SteroidsOrHeroin in 2015.
The title alone gives an idea of how provocative the project wanted to be.
Jordan was heavily involved in the album’s instrumental and production side.
Tim handled bass and vocals.
Interestingly, they initially tried to avoid making the project too guitar-heavy.
Then famous producer and guitarist Brendan O’Brien contributed guitar to the album.
The result combined rock experience with electronic experimentation.
It did not sound simply like another Rage Against the Machine project.
And it did not sound like The Fuzztones either.
That was the point.
Future User’s Videos Attracted Attention Too
The music was only one part of Future User.
Its videos were deliberately provocative.
For a while, Tim’s identity was hidden behind a masked character called S.W.I.M., short for “Someone Who Isn’t Me.”
The project used videos to explore subjects such as performance-enhancing drugs, healthcare and surveillance.
Some clips included famous figures.
Tennis legend John McEnroe appeared in one.
Cyclist Lance Armstrong was connected with another.
The videos were designed to make viewers uncomfortable and think about the subject.
Jordan participated not only in the music but in the broader creative direction of the project.
Jordan Also Has a Reel Rock Credit
IMDb gives Jordan a music-department credit on Reel Rock in 2016.
The screen credit is much smaller than his larger band history.
Still, it fits the pattern of his career.
Jordan often works behind the sound rather than being the person audiences are expected to watch.
His professional story includes several decades of these less-visible roles.
That is one reason he is much better understood as a musician and studio craftsman than as a traditional celebrity.
Who Is Jordan Tarlow’s Wife?
Jordan is married to Martha Quinn.
Martha became famous as one of the original MTV VJs.
MTV launched in 1981 and changed the way millions of young viewers experienced music.
Instead of simply hearing a song on radio, audiences could watch the artist.
Martha became one of the people introducing those videos.
She joined Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter and J.J. Jackson in the original VJ lineup.
Her warm and energetic personality helped make her one of the most recognizable early faces of the network.
Martha Quinn and Jordan Tarlow Made an Interesting Match
Their careers fit together in an unusual way.
Martha presented music.
Jordan made music.
Martha became famous in front of a television camera.
Jordan spent much of his career onstage or inside a recording studio.
She became associated with mainstream pop culture through MTV.
He spent important years in garage rock and psychedelic music.
Their different roles gave them a shared connection to music without requiring them to compete professionally.
And unlike many entertainment relationships, theirs has lasted for decades.
When Did Jordan Tarlow Marry Martha Quinn?
IMDb lists Jordan and Martha’s wedding date as December 6, 1992.
Some smaller relationship databases provide January 1993 instead.
The IMDb record is more consistent and specifically lists the marriage beginning on December 6, 1992.
As of 2026, Jordan and Martha have therefore been married for almost 34 years.
That is a remarkably long marriage by entertainment-industry standards.
Public biographies continue to identify them as husband and wife.
There is no credible current report establishing a divorce.
Do Jordan Tarlow and Martha Quinn Have Children?
Yes.
Jordan and Martha have two children.
IMDb confirms two children from their marriage.
One daughter is commonly identified publicly as Annabelle and is reported to have been born in 1997.
However, strong mainstream profiles do not consistently identify both children by name.
For that reason, it is better not to create detailed biographies for them from weaker family-information websites.
The important established fact is that Jordan and Martha became parents to two children.
They also appear to have kept their children much more private than Martha’s own public career might suggest.
Family Life Became Important to Martha Too
Martha’s life changed after becoming a mother.
Her career moved between television, acting and radio.
Eventually, she became especially associated with radio broadcasting.
She has hosted programs focused on the music of the 1980s, making her career a natural extension of the era that first made her famous.
Jordan continued maintaining a lower profile.
This allowed their family to exist without both parents constantly chasing public attention.
Their children were not heavily turned into celebrity personalities.
Jordan and Martha Have Lived in California
Public profiles have identified Jordan and Martha as living in Southern California.
An AARP profile of Martha described the couple living in Malibu with their two children.
However, current exact residence information should always be treated cautiously.
People move.
Older profiles do not automatically establish where someone lives today.
The useful point is that California has been an important base for their family and careers.
It also fits Jordan’s music history, especially his Los Angeles years with The Fuzztones.
Is Jordan Tarlow Still Married to Martha Quinn in 2026?
Current public biographical records continue to list the couple as married.
IMDb lists their relationship from December 6, 1992 to the present.
There is no strong public evidence of a separation or divorce.
That means Jordan and Martha have shared more than three decades of marriage.
Their relationship has lasted through major career changes.
Martha moved from MTV into radio and other media work.
Jordan moved from garage-rock guitar into experimental production and electronic music.
The marriage continued through all of it.
How Old Is Jordan Tarlow?
Jordan’s exact age is not reliably documented.
This is an important area where responsible biography writing needs to stop rather than guess.
No strong music database gives a dependable birth date.
IMDb does not list one.
Some modern biography sites provide ages without showing good evidence.
Those numbers should not automatically be trusted.
As of 2026, Jordan’s exact date of birth and age remain publicly unconfirmed.
That may sound less exciting than providing a precise number.
But it is much more accurate.
What Is Jordan Tarlow’s Net Worth?
Jordan’s exact net worth is also unknown.
He has spent decades working in music.
His credits include performing, songwriting, production and engineering.
Those activities can generate income through different channels.
But there is no reliable public financial record showing his total wealth.
To calculate net worth accurately, information would be needed about royalties, property, investments, business interests and debts.
That information is not publicly available.
Martha Quinn’s earnings should not simply be treated as Jordan’s individual fortune either.
Therefore, exact Jordan Tarlow net-worth figures published by small biography websites should be viewed as speculation.
Is Jordan Still a Member of The Fuzztones?
Jordan is considered a former member of The Fuzztones rather than part of the current touring lineup.
The band has changed members many times.
Rudi Protrudi has remained its central figure.
Jordan’s period with the group belongs mainly to its late-1980s and early-1990s history.
However, his work remains part of its catalog.
Modern reissues and releases still carry his credits.
So while Jordan is not simply “the current Fuzztones guitarist,” his contribution remains documented and available for new listeners to discover.
What Is Jordan Tarlow Doing Today in 2026?
Jordan maintains a relatively low public profile.
Future User’s most visible activity was centered around its 2015 album and videos.
There is no strong evidence that Jordan is currently trying to become a high-profile touring star.
But his older work remains active through releases and reissues.
The Fuzztones’ 2025 Raw Heat release again credited Jordan for guitar and production on the original sessions.
AllMusic continues to preserve his wider catalog of credits.
That means Jordan’s music continues circulating even if Jordan himself is not constantly appearing in entertainment news.
Why Jordan Tarlow Is More Than Martha Quinn’s Husband
This is the central point of his story.
Martha is more famous.
There is no question about that.
She became one of MTV’s original faces and later continued building a broadcasting career.
But Jordan did not simply stand beside that success.
He built music.
With The Fuzztones, he played guitar, sang, wrote and produced.
In studios, he engineered and shaped recordings.
With Future User, he moved into keyboards, synthesizers, programming and experimental production.
The genres changed.
The creative work continued.
Interesting Facts About Jordan Tarlow
Jordan is an American musician, producer, engineer and multi-instrumentalist.
He played lead guitar in the Los Angeles-era lineup of The Fuzztones.
His In Heat credits include guitar, vocals, electric sitar, composing and production.
Jordan also has remastering and engineering credits.
He later teamed up with Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Commerford in Future User.
Future User’s music moved heavily toward electronic and progressive sounds.
Tim has publicly praised Jordan’s skills as an engineer and producer.
Jordan’s home studio and vintage synthesizers played an important role in developing Future User’s music.
The project released #SteroidsOrHeroin in 2015.
Jordan has a music-department credit on Reel Rock.
He married original MTV VJ Martha Quinn in December 1992.
Jordan and Martha have two children.
His exact birth date and personal net worth remain publicly unconfirmed.
Modern Fuzztones releases continue to carry Jordan’s credits from his earlier work.
Final Thoughts
Jordan Tarlow could easily be reduced to one line: Martha Quinn’s husband.
But that would miss most of what makes his story interesting.
Jordan was creating music during the same general era in which Martha became famous for introducing music videos on MTV.
He joined The Fuzztones as a guitarist and became involved with the band’s psychedelic garage sound.
His role expanded into composing, engineering and production.
Then, years later, he moved in an entirely different direction.
Working with Tim Commerford in Future User, Jordan helped build music around synthesizers, programming, bass and experimental electronic ideas.
That is a long journey from garage-rock guitar.
His personal life has been unusually stable too.
Jordan and Martha married in 1992 and have two children. More than three decades later, public records continue to identify them as married.
Jordan has never appeared especially interested in turning himself into a traditional celebrity.
His exact age is private.
His finances are private.
Much of his family life is private.
But his music credits are not.
And those credits tell the clearest story of all: Jordan Tarlow has spent decades creating, recording and experimenting with music, whether or not his name was the biggest one on the poster.
FAQs About Jordan Tarlow
Who is Jordan Tarlow?
Jordan Tarlow is an American musician, guitarist, producer, engineer and multi-instrumentalist. He is known for his work with The Fuzztones and Future User and as the husband of original MTV VJ Martha Quinn.
Was Jordan Tarlow in The Fuzztones?
Yes. Jordan played guitar in the Los Angeles-era lineup of The Fuzztones and received additional credits for vocals, composition and production.
Who is Jordan Tarlow married to?
Jordan is married to Martha Quinn, one of MTV’s five original video jockeys.
When did Jordan Tarlow and Martha Quinn get married?
IMDb records their wedding date as December 6, 1992. Some smaller sources give a slightly different date, but the December 1992 record is stronger.
Do Jordan Tarlow and Martha Quinn have children?
Yes. They have two children. One daughter is publicly identified in secondary sources as Annabelle.
What is Future User?
Future User is an experimental electronic and progressive music project involving Jordan Tarlow and Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Commerford. Jordan contributed as a multi-instrumentalist, producer and engineer.
What is Jordan Tarlow doing now?
As of 2026, Jordan maintains a low public profile. His older Fuzztones work continues to appear through reissues and catalog releases, while reliable sources do not show him pursuing a major high-profile touring career today.
