Although largely self-taught as a keyboard player, arranger and composer, Perjanik's skills soon made him a prominent figure on the thriving New Zealand music scene of the mid-1960s. After moving to
Auckland in 1963 he joined local group The Embers and encouraged his friend Doug Jerebine to follow him; Jerebine eventually joined Perjanik in The Embers after a short stint in the popular band
The Keil Isles. Perjanik began writing music and his songs were recorded by New Zealand pop singers such as
Dinah Lee; he also arranged music for
Ray Columbus and toured with visiting international performers like
Gene Pitney. One of the Perjanik Group's first sessions was backing a new singing duo discovered by
Viking Records boss Ron Dalton; the duo, Sue and Judy Donaldson (who were childhood friends of
La De Da's guitarist
Kevin Borich) were renamed by Perjanik as the Chicks; The Mike Perjanik Group backed them on their debut single "Heart of Stone"/"I Want You To Be My Boy" and in 1966 they also backed The Chicks on their single "The Rebel Kind". Perjanik discovered another talented female singer while he was playing at a hotel. Impressed by her powerful voice Perjanik informed Ron Dalton of his discovery and she was soon brought to the Viking studio to record "Tumblin' Down", which was released under the singer's new stage name
Maria Dallas. Perjanik helped launch the career of vocalist
Allison Durbin. They first worked together when Durbin was backed by Perjanik's band in the studio and they subsequently began a relationship. Durbin was soon performing as the band's featured singer and in October 1966. After nine months with the band, Durbin left to pursue a solo career; she subsequently scored several hit singles in Australia, was named as Australia's "Queen of Pop" and became a prominent recording and TV performer in the 1970s. ==Australian career==