MUSIC legend Peter Gabriel is reportedly devastated after a promising young guitarist was found hanging from a rafter at his recording studios in Box.

The 53-year-old rocker, a former member of Genesis, was elsewhere in the country when the tragedy happened and did not wish to comment before jetting off to Cannes, France.

But his London-based PR company Hyperactive said he was very aware of James 'Jimmi' Lawrence's death.

The body of the 26-year-old guitarist with indie-rock group Hope Of The States, was found at the Real World Studios, but police are not treating the death as suspicious.

Hyperactive spokesman Caroline Turner said: "Peter Gabriel is very aware of the situation but out of respect for the family he has no further comment to make."

Mr Lawrence's parents were too upset for an interview, but in a statement released this week, the guitarist's grieving band mates, who discovered his body in the early hours of Thursday morning, said they found it difficult to believe he intended to take his own life.

The statement read: "We would ask this awful event not to be co-opted as a glamorous rock 'n roll death. We will forever believe this was not supposed to happen and our dear friend would hate to be thought of in this way.

"We have lost our friend in a tragic and heartbreaking way. His sense of humour, sensitivity, talent, intelligence and above all genuinely caring nature will be sadly missed."

Mr Lawrence, from Chichester, Sussex, had been at the studio putting the finishing touches to their debut album, due to be released in the spring.

"Our last days with Jimmi were the happiest we ever shared together," said his bandmates. "He was immensely proud and happy with his work on the record and could not wait for others to hear it.

"We are devastated that he will never hear it with us, never play guitar, have a drink, a laugh or a conversation with us again."

A spokesman for the Real World Studios, which has played host to major recording artists such as Kylie Minogue, said Mr Lawrence would be greatly missed.

Hope Of The States, a Chichester-based band, has been hailed as the next big thing on the indie music scene.

The six-piece group is signed with record label Seeker part of Sony and is due to play at the NME awards show at the London Astoria next month.