Clive Anthony Stephen Bayley was born in London on 4 April 1950. At the age of 12, he began his musical journey by joining his first band, the Arrows, where he played guitar and provided vocals. After three years with the group, Bayley sought new creative horizons and met drummer Robert Hagger in a Fleet Street pub. Together, they formed Mabel Greer’s Toyshop, initially including bassist Paul Rutledge. When Rutledge departed in autumn 1967, Chris Squire, formerly of the Syn, stepped in, along with fellow Syn member Peter Banks, transforming the group into a quartet.

With Banks on lead guitar, Bayley transitioned to rhythm guitar while taking on lead vocal duties. In early 1968, the band recorded five original songs for BBC Radio, all co-written by Bayley and Squire. A significant moment occurred on 18 May 1968, when Jon Anderson, a friend of Squire, joined Mabel Greer’s Toyshop for a performance in Highgate, London. Soon after, Banks left to join Neat Change, prompting Bayley to reclaim his role as lead guitarist, with Anderson joining as a second lead vocalist.

Following this change, Hagger also exited the group. Bayley, Squire, and Anderson placed an advertisement in Melody Maker for a drummer, leading to the recruitment of Bill Bruford, who first performed with the band on 7 June 1968 in Deptford, London. The quartet spent much of June and July rehearsing at the Lucky Horseshoe Café on Shaftesbury Avenue. In mid-July, they welcomed organist Tony Kaye, solidifying their lineup as a quintet, and performed in Kingston, London on 20 July 1968. However, within a week, Bayley departed, and Banks returned to the group. By 2 August 1968, the band had adopted the name Yes. Their debut album, released in summer 1969, featured two songs co-written by Bayley: "Beyond and Before" and "Sweetness," with the former often serving as the opening number during his time with Mabel Greer’s Toyshop.

Bayley later found success as a businessman and spent time living in Connecticut, USA. In 1994, he became the director of London-based TechHouse Communications. In March 2013, following the passing of former bandmate Peter Banks, Robert Hagger reached out to Bayley, leading to their first reunion in 45 years. By July 2013, Bayley and Hagger decided to reform Mabel Greer’s Toyshop, recruiting bassist Hugo Barré and beginning rehearsals in France.

The trio worked on a new album, collaborating once again with Tony Kaye on Hammond Organ. Produced by Billy Sherwood, the album was recorded in 2014 and released in March 2015, titled "New Way of Life," named after one of Bayley's new songs. This album included the five tracks co-written by Bayley and Squire in 1967/68, along with additional vocals from Keren and Bayley's daughter Annouchka, born in June 1979. Tragically, Chris Squire, who had supported the reformation of Mabel Greer’s Toyshop, passed away just three months after the album's release.

With the lineup of Bayley, Hagger, and Barré, alongside newly-recruited keyboardist Max Hunt, Mabel Greer’s Toyshop began rehearsing and recording in 2016. They completed their second album, "The Secret," in 2017, which included an unreleased guitar solo by the late Peter Banks. Much of this album, like their debut, showcased Bayley's songwriting, guitar work, and lyrical prowess.