Walter Tunis
Knight Ridder Newspapers

Take an artist with a huge hit titled after a series of hums, a knack for confounding record label expectations and a self-destructive streak that nearly made the name of his band seem eerily appropriate, and you have the strange rock 'n' roll odyssey of Brad Roberts.

As vocalist, songwriter and overall CEO of the Canadian-bred Crash Test Dummies, Roberts was responsible for one of the most unlikely hits of the '90s. It's a tough call as to which was the song's odder attribute: the atypical colors given by Roberts' booming baritone voice or the song's title, "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm." Either way, the tune's curious lyrics and regal orchestration went on to sell more than seven million copies. That, needless to say, had executives at the Crash Test Dummies' label, Arista Records, screaming for more.

Today, though, Roberts and the Dummies have wised up. Like many veteran artists, they record for their own label, enjoy artistic independence and, despite vastly reduced record sales, manage a steady paycheck.

"Most people think you automatically get royalties from an album," said Roberts, who will front a trio version of Crash Test Dummies at a taping of WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour at The Kentucky Theatre. "But every penny a record company spends on a music video, tour support, what have you, is taken not from the gross receipts of record sales but from artist royalties. So if an album makes $500,000, $1 million or even $2 million, you're just breaking even.

"Luckily, I was fortunate enough to sell seven million copies of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" and walked away with a nice little nest egg which was the basis for starting my own record company. Now, instead of making $1 per CD, I make $8. I sell far fewer records than I would with a major label, but I manage a tidy profit and still get to make music I like without people telling me what to do."

Independent or not, Roberts' rock 'n' roll life, in a very literal sense, almost ended three years ago when he nearly lost his life in an automobile accident. But by 2001, Roberts mended enough to record and release a rich, rootsy album called "I Don't Care That You Don't Mind" that stands as one of the Dummies' best works.

"My whole feeling about the accident was that I acted like a stupid jackass driving too fast around a corner," Roberts said. "I flipped my car and got out just in time before it blew up. I don't think there's any such thing as fate or destiny. I caused my own situation. I just happened to be lucky enough to come out alive."

This fall, the Dummies have returned with "Puss N Boots," a broad-based pop affair that emerged from a yearlong collaboration with producer and co-writer Stuart Cameron. Roberts' deep vocals remain distinctive. As with "I Don't Care That You Don't Mind," they are weaved deeper into the album's musical fabric. But where "I Don't Care" had an almost Southern air to its songs, "Puss N Boots" percolates with cool, dense pop grooves on "I Never Try That Hard" and a mix of guitar and electronica on "It's a Shame."

Roberts is quite happy with the general state of the Dummies today. His bassist/brother Dan Roberts, along with Cameron, will complete the trio version of the band that will visit WoodSongs. The Dummies also will re-release its holiday album, "Jingle All the Way," which was largely ignored upon its initial release last year. And while the rigors of touring hold little interest for Roberts outside the time he spends onstage, he thinks he is at the peak of his powers as a singer, writer and performer.

"At the risk of sounding self-congratulatory, I'm a damn fine performer. After all this time, I think I've really got it down."