Full Circle - The Doors

Full Circle is the Doors' final studio album, released on August 15, 1972 on Elektra Records. The trio of Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore continued without Jim Morrison, who had died the previous year. The album features guest appearances by jazz musicians Charles Lloyd on tenor saxophone and flute and a rhythm section that varies by track. Manzarek plays piano, organ, and electric piano across the album, contributing vocals alongside Krieger. Lloyd's saxophone and flute add a jazz dimension absent from the band's earlier work — his playing on tracks like "Verdilac" and "The Piano Bird" brings an improvisational quality that moves the music away from rock toward jazz-rock fusion. Krieger plays both electric guitar and harmonica, and Densmore's drumming is credited as a solo feature on some passages. The album's sound is looser and more experimental than Other Voices, reflecting the remaining members' interests beyond the rock format that Morrison's presence had anchored. Full Circle reached number sixty-eight on the Billboard 200 and received mixed reviews. The Doors disbanded shortly after its release, with the three members pursuing solo careers. Manzarek and Krieger would later reunite for various projects, though the Full Circle lineup remains the band's last original studio recording.