Editing Crash Test Dummies (section)

===Post-mainstream career: 2000–2006===
The less-than-stellar commercial success of both ''A Worm's Life'' and ''Give Yourself a Hand'' resulted in the band feeling much more restricted by their label [[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG]], especially after the label rejected 35 songs during the production of ''Give Yourself a Hand''.  As a result, the band and the label parted ways, and Brad Roberts formed his own independent label "Cha-Ching Records" (later renamed to "Deep Fried Records").<ref name="PhillyistCTD">{{cite web
| url = http://phillyist.com/2010/05/11/phillyist_interviews_brad_roberts_o.php
| title = Phillyist Interviews... Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies
| year = 2010
| work = Phillyist
| access-date = 2010-05-12
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110715075425/http://phillyist.com/2010/05/11/phillyist_interviews_brad_roberts_o.php
| archive-date = 2011-07-15
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

Free from major-label restrictions, the Dummies surprised their fans in 2001 by putting their solo projects on hold for a fifth studio album and tour. After suffering a near-fatal car accident in the fall of 2000, Brad found himself recuperating in the town of [[Argyle, Nova Scotia]]. It was there that he met some local "lobster fishermen" who happened to be quite musically inclined – Kent Greene, Dave Morton, and Danny MacKenzie. Together, they recorded the bulk of ''[[I Don't Care That You Don't Mind]]'', which was to have been Brad's first solo album. Later on, Ellen was brought in to record backing vocals for a few tunes, and Dan agreed to tour with Brad.  When Ellen and Mitch agreed to tour as well, the Crash Test Dummies name was put on the record.  This album saw the Dummies returning to their acoustic roots. Brad compared this album to the Dummies' first, ''[[The Ghosts That Haunt Me]]'', though he calls it more atmospheric and polished.

Near the end of 2001, some new Dummies solo albums were released. First, Ellen Reid launched her debut solo effort, ''[[Cinderellen]]''.

Soon after, Brad Roberts' long-awaited double-live CD and rockumentary, entitled ''[[Crash Test Dude]]'', were made available through [[MapleMusic Recordings|MapleMusic]].

[[Mitch Dorge]]'s surprise debut album, ''[[As Trees Walking]]'', was released in early 2002. He played almost all of the instruments, took some of the photos for the liner notes, and won a Prairie Music Award for Best Instrumental Recording.

Brad, Dan, and Ellen returned as Crash Test Dummies at the end of 2002 with ''[[Jingle All the Way (Crash Test Dummies album)|Jingle All the Way]]'', a long-rumoured Christmas album.

In 2003, ''[[Puss 'n' Boots (album)|Puss 'n' Boots]]'' was released. Much like ''I Don't Care'', the album began life as a Brad Roberts solo project. Co-written by [[Stuart Cameron (Musician)|Stuart Cameron]], 13 songs were selected from a pool of 30. Ellen sang backing vocals and Dan played bass, though much of the music – funky grooves that would not have seemed out of place on ''Give Yourself A Hand'' – was performed by other musicians.

''[[Songs of the Unforgiven]]'', the eighth studio album under the Crash Test Dummies name, was recorded not long after ''Puss 'n' Boots''.<ref name="OfficialSite"/>